New nutritionists’ fields of activity in Brazil: the emergence of digital technological innovations, including artificial intelligence

Abstract Objective To reflect on new nutritionists’ practice fields in Brazil, focusing on the application of digital technological innovations, including artificial intelligence. Methods Literature and documentary review of resolutions and statistics regarding the number of nutritionists in this country based on the Federal Nutrition Council data. Results Among the 34 specialties in Nutrition acknowledged by the Federal Nutrition Council, Precision Nutrition stands out, both in Brazil and in other countries, as a new scientific paradigm aimed at elucidating the complex and multicausal nutritional issue. The literature review showed that both Precision Nutrition and digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, have been applied in the nutritionists’ professional practice in different fields of knowledge and practice, such as: development of functional foods; development of instruments and equipment used in the diagnosis and treatment of nutritional problems and in nutritional therapy and counseling for a wide range of diseases, disorders and health conditions (obesity, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, high blood pressure, metabolic syndrome, malignancies, eating disorders, etc.). Conclusion The expansion of the activity areas and specialties in Nutrition seems to be in line with the demands defined by: expansion of the number of professionals, the job market, search for identification with other professions in the health sector; and technological scientific innovations, in the global context. The work of Brazilian nutritionists specializing in Precision Nutrition and in the application of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, shows that these new and promising fields are still quite incipiently explored.