Teens at Growth Risk as Free AI Diet Plans Underestimate Calories, Study Finds
TL;DR
Turkish researchers evaluated five free AI chatbots (ChatGPT 4, Gemini 2.5 Pro, Bing Chat-5GPT, Claude 4.1, Perplexity) and found they produced 3‑day teen meal plans that undercount total calories by roughly 700 per day, overemphasize protein and fat, and under-allocate carbohydrates. The result: potential growth stunting and hormonal/bone health risks, especially for athletes. Two independent registered dietitians reviewed the results and warned against relying on AI for nutrition guidance. The study, published in Frontiers in Nutrition, calls for more research and greater skepticism toward AI-generated dietary advice.
- AI Chatbots Recommend Calorie-Starved Diets for Teens, Study Warns Gizmodo
- AI may be giving teens bad nutrition advice Science News
- Teens are receiving dangerous eating advice from AI chatbots, study says The Independent
- AI-generated meal plans for teens often lack essential nutrients and calories News-Medical
- Ayşe Betül Bilen, PhD, notes metabolic and developmental risks of AI-generated diets Contemporary Pediatrics
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