As the impact of artificial intelligence technologies in the health sector continues to grow, the field of nutrition and dietetics is also taking its share of this transformation.
Within the scope of June 6 World Dietitians Day, Research Assistant Ekin Çevik from the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, evaluating the effects of artificial intelligence in the field of nutrition, stated that personalized nutrition is on the rise, emphasizing that artificial intelligence will be a powerful assistant but cannot replace the human factor, empathy, and clinical experience in nutrition.
Referring to the use of artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and similar in the field of nutrition, Ekin Çevik said, “Artificial intelligence tools are enjoyable for increasing nutritional literacy and getting practical recipe ideas, but they are not a dietary authority to entrust your health to and follow verbatim.”
Research Assistant Ekin Çevik from the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Üsküdar University, evaluated the effects of artificial intelligence in the field of nutrition within the scope of June 6 World Dietitians Day.
The one-size-fits-all diet approach has been replaced by personalized nutrition
Nutrition Specialist Çevik stated that the most important change in the field of nutrition and dietetics in recent years has been the personalized nutrition approach, saying, “The biggest turning point in nutrition science in recent years has been moving away from the 'one-size-fits-all diet' approach. Today, we are in the era of 'personalized nutrition' and 'healthy aging (longevity).' Research now clearly shows that the same nutrient can produce very different metabolic responses in different people. Accordingly, microbiota research has exploded; it has been understood that gut bacteria are directly linked not only to digestion but also to mood, immunity, and weight management. Instead of temporary goal-oriented approaches solely targeting weight loss, preventive nutrition models that touch upon the future, focusing on living a vigorous and high-quality life free from chronic diseases while aging, have gained importance. In addition, environmental sustainability, which concerns the health and well-being of our world and future generations, has now become an inseparable part of nutrition guidelines.”
Artificial intelligence has brought a new dimension to nutrition science
Çevik stated that artificial intelligence has begun to be used with different applications in the field of health and nutrition, saying, “The entry of artificial intelligence into nutrition science occurred through several different channels. Applications that can perform food analysis from photos, correlating activity and sleep data collected via smartwatches with diet, early detection of at-risk patients in hospital systems... In the academic world, revolutionary studies are being conducted on extracting patterns from large datasets. It is now becoming possible to generate individual recommendations by evaluating genetic, microbiota, and nutritional data from thousands of people together.”
Artificial intelligence can create lists but cannot fully understand humans
Emphasizing that AI-supported applications can create personalized diet lists but have certain limitations, Çevik continued:
“These applications can mathematically produce excellent lists; when height, weight, age, and goal are entered, they can calculate calories and macros in seconds. However, there is a critical distinction here: truly being 'personalized' is not just about numbers. Artificial intelligence cannot fully comprehend your stress level on a given day, your emotional eating crisis, your taste preferences from childhood, or whether you have time to prepare that meal. Therefore, it can technically create a list, but this list would be soulless and have low sustainability. That's why technology does the 'data-driven' part very well; for the 'human-driven' part, your dietitian is still indispensable.”
It will not replace the dietitian, but enhance their power
Ekin Çevik also evaluated whether artificial intelligence could replace dietitians, saying, “It is more realistic to think that 'a dietitian who uses artificial intelligence will replace one who doesn't.' Nutrition is not just about what we put on the plate; it is entirely about psychology, motivation, compassion, and human relationships. What a client wants to hear when they say, 'I was very unhappy today and broke my diet,' is not the cold warning of an algorithm, but the empathetic voice of their dietitian, understanding and non-judgmental. On the other hand, a patient's struggle with an eating disorder like anorexia, management of a chronic illness, or nutritional counseling during breastfeeding; these are processes requiring empathy, clinical experience, and ethical responsibility. Artificial intelligence can assist in these areas, but it cannot assume responsibility. Another critical aspect of the matter is this: even for an individual to receive accurate and safe nutritional advice from artificial intelligence, they need to know what and how to ask it, i.e., to formulate the right commands (prompts). This requires a certain level of nutritional literacy and basic knowledge. The only professional group that can build this correct nutritional awareness and education in society is dietitians. Therefore, even to guide artificial intelligence correctly, the guidance and education of a dietitian are still needed.”
Populist content contradicts biochemical reality…
Ekin Çevik also warned against rapidly spreading nutrition advice on social media, stating, “A significant portion of those who stand out as 'nutrition experts' on social media have no training in the field of nutrition. Viral content is usually not scientific, but attention-grabbing. Claims like 'a single food cures cancer' or 'I lost 5 kilos in 3 days' and populist content contradict biochemical reality. Therefore, for reliable nutritional information, content from the Turkish Dietetic Association, the Ministry of Health, or posts by professionals with a dietitian title should be preferred.”
The dietitian of the future will be data literate
Ekin Çevik stated that the digital transformation in nutrition will accelerate, saying, “Future dietitians will need to have data literacy in addition to their basic science education. Knowing when AI tools can be wrong is as critical as understanding what they say. Teleneutrition counseling, interpretation of digital tracking tools, and social media communication are also areas that should be included in curricula. But these are all technical skills; human understanding, ethical awareness, and scientific critical thinking must be added on top. Dietitians who are not afraid of technology, but rather embrace it as a tailwind, will shape the future.”
ChatGPT and similar tools can provide information but not treatment
Nutrition Specialist Ekin Çevik also addressed the use of artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and similar in the field of nutrition, saying, “These tools scan billions of data points on the internet to provide you with a general average. Therefore, they are very useful for conveying general nutritional information, explaining diet concepts, and raising awareness. However, these are not medical interventions. If you have a chronic disease (e.g., diabetes, kidney failure, high blood pressure) or are pregnant, a generic diet list generated by these tools could seriously jeopardize your health. Artificial intelligence tools are enjoyable for increasing nutritional literacy and getting practical recipe ideas, but they are not a dietary authority to entrust your health to and follow verbatim.”
Everyone could have a digital nutrition assistant in the future
Ekin Çevik stated that digital nutrition assistants could become a part of daily life in the future, concluding, “Technology is currently concentrated in high-income countries and populations with high welfare levels. However, nutrition problems are most prevalent where economic inequality exists. The ideal scenario is this: digital tools provide basic nutritional guidance to people who cannot reach a dietitian, while qualified expert support for complex cases is also accessible to everyone. Technology alone cannot solve this equation; health policies and educational investments are equally important.”
