Can artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot tools be used effectively for nutritional management in obesity?

BackgroundArtificial intelligence (AI), particularly Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (ChatGPT), has been suggested as a tool for dietary planning in different diseases.AimThe study aimed to compare the energy, macro and micronutrients of the sample menu components presented by ChatGPT-4o and ChatGPT-4 for obesity with the Turkish Dietary Guidelines (TDG)-2022, evaluating their accuracy and clarity in medical nutrition management. Due to higher accuracy levels and the most preferred AI, ChatGPT-4o and ChatGPT-4 were selected for comparison.MethodsA comparative content analysis was conducted using ChatGPT-4o, and ChatGPT-4 to generate 1800 kcal daily diet plans for a 20-year-old female with obesity. AI models provided recommendations for dietary management, the nutrition care process, and menu planning. Three dietitians evaluated the outputs. Data were analyzed using SPSS 24.0.ResultsChatGPT-generated menus were inconsistent with dietary recommendations. Both ChatGPT-4o and ChatGPT-4 offered 5-day menu samples with low calorie content of "1800 kcal prompt" compared to the TDG-2022 (<i>P</i> < 0.001 for ChatGPT-4o). Additionally, key nutrients, particularly fats (<i>P</i> = 0.003), carbohydrates (%), potassium, and calcium (<i>P</i> < 0.05 for all) were inadequately compared to the TDG-2022. Nutrient analysis revealed that both models underperformed in meeting recommended intakes for critical micronutrients such as calcium, and had an unbalanced distribution of macronutrients.ConclusionChatGPT-4o and ChatGPT-4 have limitations when used to provide accurate dietary management. While AI chatbots offer useful insights, they cannot replace expertise of dietitians in clinical planning; as a result, caution is advised when using these tools in this context.