Teens using AI to diet may be told to eat almost 700 fewer daily calories than they need

Teens are using AI regularly, but searching for nutrition advice may be a problem. (Yta23/iStockphoto/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)

Lunch of grilled chicken, brown rice and steamed broccoli, and then dinner of salmon, sweet potato, and a green salad dressed with only olive oil. Oh, and keep each element under 4 ounces and the whole day of eating at about 1,500 calories.

Does that sound like enough food for any 15-year-old boy you know? Well, it is what AI recommended for one.

If a teen is interested in losing weight, chances are they may turn to artificial intelligence platforms to get advice.

But that could cause trouble.

The AI advice they get may be to keep their calories and nutrients drastically below their daily needs, according to a new study published Thursday in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition.

Those AI meal plans for teens asking to lose weight had an average of 700 fewer calories per day than recommended by human dietitians, said lead study author Dr. Ayşe Betül Bilen, assistant professor in the department of nutrition and dietetics at Istanbul Atlas University in Turkiye.

The plans also had significant discrepancies when it came to protein, fats and carbohydrates.

The problem is particularly concerning considering how prevalent both weight-loss attempts and AI use are among teens, said Dr. Jason Nagata, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. He was not involved in the research.

Nearly 48 per cent of teens 16 and older reported attempting to lose weight within the past year, according to a January study. And a Pew Research Center survey found that nearly two-thirds of teens reported using chatbots, with about 30 per cent saying they use them every day. So, it’s not surprising to see adolescents use chatbots to learn how to diet.

“While these technologies can be useful for general information, they should not replace professional guidance — especially for children and adolescents whose nutritional needs are unique,” Bilen said.

Not enough calories, wrong nutrients

Although generative AI platforms are widely used by teens, researchers –– and the public –– still don’t know a lot about the kinds of information teens are getting from AI.

To investigate the quality of nutrition information provided by AI platforms, researchers created four profiles of 15-year-olds: two boys and two girls, each with one classified as overweight and one as obese by body mass index, or BMI, according to the study.

Using each of these profiles, the researchers asked five different AI models for a three-day meal plan with the understanding that the individuals profiled wanted to lose weight.

The meal plans were compared against guidance from dietitians. Not only did the AI-generated plans incorporate a greater calorie deficit, but the protein and fats were significantly higher than the levels recommended by the dietitian and the carbohydrates were much lower.

“For adolescents, who are in a critical period of growth and development, these imbalances could potentially be problematic if followed long term,” Bilen said.

Risks to growth and development

Inaccurate guidance about what to eat can be a big problem for teens.

“Teenagers are growing,” Nagata said. “If teenagers aren’t getting adequate nutrition, it can really stunt their growth on a number of levels, and in more extreme cases, it can lead to really significant health consequences.”

Nagata has seen extreme cases in which teenagers who are constantly at a calorie deficit require hospitalization or significant medical interventions because their heart or brain function has been impacted, he said.

Another concern is that a diet plan with too few calories or inaccurate nutrient recommendations could perpetuate eating disorders, Nagata said.

“Not everyone who’s trying to lose weight will develop an eating disorder, but a significant portion of them may engage in unhealthy weight control behaviors like fasting, skipping meals, vomiting or using non prescribed medications for weight loss,” he said.

Why you need a little skepticism with AI

Generative AI may seem like a promising resource when it comes to nutrition for teens, or really, anyone.

After all, many people have trouble meeting their nutrition goals and don’t have access to highly qualified professionals, said Dr. Erin Hennessy, associate professor, dean for research strategy and director of the ChildObesity180 initiative at Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. She was not involved in the research.

But what this research shows is that many of these chatbots have limitations in providing crucial health information and that both teens and adults need more literacy around this technology, Nagata said.

One big problem is that the algorithms behind the AI platforms may be drawing from the rampant misinformation around nutrition online, said Dr. Natalie Muth, pediatric obesity medicine specialist, registered dietitian and cofounder of Namio Health.

Or the AI platform may be weighing unqualified advice similarly to the information backed by science, research and a broader concern for well-being added Muth, who was not involved in the research.

“It doesn’t really critically think about these issues,” Nagata noted. “It just gives you what you request, without providing the broader context, which I think most health care providers or dieticians would provide.”

These programs also are designed to agree with you, giving you the information you ask for without questioning your assumptions or going beyond what you’ve asked for, he said. Whereas a health care professional may push back against a desire for unhealthy or rapid weight loss and advise you what really works, an algorithm is more likely to just tell you how to do it.

That’s all true whether you’re a teen or an adult trying to lose weight.

Perhaps there is a future where these platforms can account for the discrepancies better. But in the meantime, Nagata said it’s important for families and teens to be aware of the limitations and learn how to think more critically about their prompts and the answers they get.

For example, the information might have been more accurate had the hypothetical teens in the study asked for weight-loss advice following the nutrient and calorie requirements from the World Health Organization, or another scientific body, he said.

“I encourage people to also, whenever they get information from AI, verify that information, either through credible sources … like a registered dietitian, or another reputable source,” Nagata said.

What should teens be eating?

Remember that meal plan for a 15-year-old boy that called for small portions and about 1,500 calories a day?

Even if that teen is hoping to lose weight, that little amount of food is way off the mark. The exact needs range and are individual, but on average, teen boys need about 2,800 calories a day and teen girls need about 2,200, according to healthychildren.org, from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Even on the lower side, the American Heart Association recommends girls ages 14 to 18 get about 1,800 calories a day and boys get 2,200 a day.

Families should focus on balanced meals for their teens, rather than restrictive diets, Nagata said.

“Teens often need more calories and nutrition than families expect because of growth spurts, puberty, and activity levels,” he said in an email. “Teens should avoid crash diets, severe caloric restriction, and using non-prescribed weight loss products.”

And if you are worried about a teen’s nutrition or growth, Nagata recommends talking to a pediatrician or registered dietitian for guidance.