A team of researchers analyzed how accurate the meal plans prepared by artificial intelligence systems when used for teenagers what they want lose weight. The study, carried out by specialists from Istanbul Atlas University, found important differences between the diets generated by these tools and those designed by a professional nutritionist.
The results were published in the scientific journal Frontiers in Nutrition and they open a debate among experts about the use of these technologies in a stage of life in which the organism is still in full development.
More and more teenagers use artificial intelligence applications or platforms to create personalized diets. These tools usually ask for basic information — such as age, weight or height — and generate a meal plan in a few seconds. The ease of access and the speed with which they offer recommendations have led many young people to use them as an alternative to consulting with a nutrition specialist.
Given this trend, the researchers wanted to check if these recommendations coincided with nutritional guidelines developed by professionals. For the analysis, The team evaluated meal plans generated by five AI systems: ChatGPT, Gemini, Bing Chat, Claude, and Perplexity. In all cases, the same data was entered and the preparation of a three-day menu with three main meals and two daily snacks was requested.
The plans were designed for four 15-year-old adolescents with different profiles: an overweight boy, an overweight girl, an obese boy, and an obese girl. These proposals were then compared with a nutritional plan prepared by a dietitian specialized in adolescent health.
The researchers found that, on average, the AI systems recommended about 700 fewer calories than the plan designed by the professional. According to specialists, this difference is approximately equivalent to a full meal. Professor Ayse Betül Bilen, co-author of the study, warned that Following overly restrictive diets during adolescence can affect growth and metabolic development.
The analysis also revealed discrepancies in the ratio of macronutrients — proteins, fats and carbohydrates — suggested by the artificial intelligence models. In general, the AI-generated diets included:
These figures are far from the recommendations of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine of the United States, which suggest that in the daily diet between 30% and 35% of calories come from fat, between 15% and 20% from proteins, and between 45% and 50% from carbohydrates. According to Bilen, these differences could be due to the way AI systems work, which are designed to produce answers that are plausible and easy to understand, but not necessarily based on specific clinical criteria.
The researchers emphasize that Artificial intelligence can be useful as a support to access nutritional information or learn about healthy eating. However, they warn that It should not replace professional advice, especially in sensitive stages such as adolescence. During these years, the body goes through key processes of physical growth, bone development, and cognitive maturation. Therefore, a diet that is too restrictive or unbalanced could have negative effects if maintained for long periods.
Based on El Tiempo/GDA
