Study Reveals AI Can Provide Inappropriate Dietary Advice for Adolescents

Several chatbots powered by artificial intelligence (AI) have been found to provide dietary recommendations that do not meet the nutritional needs of adolescents.

A study discovered that meal plans created by popular chatbots are frequently too low in calories for adolescents who are in their growth phase. The findings were published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition (12 March 2026) and reported by Science News.

The menus requested comprised breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks each day. Researchers then compared the meal plans generated by chatbots with menus compiled by a nutritionist.

The results showed that meal plans from AI displayed similar patterns. According to lead researcher Betül Bilen, a nutrition scientist from Istanbul Atlas University, the nutritional composition produced by chatbots was often unbalanced.

“Carbohydrates are typically lower, whilst protein and fat are higher than the recommended ranges,” said Bilen.

Additionally, the calorie content in menus created by AI was significantly lower compared to menus from nutritionists. On average, meal plans from chatbots contained approximately 695 fewer calories per day compared to menus compiled by a nutritionist—a figure roughly equivalent to one complete meal portion.

Betül Bilen explained that overly restrictive dietary patterns can disrupt adolescent physical development. “Adolescence is a critical period for growth, bone development, and brain development,” Bilen stated.