As AI has transformed various industries, including healthcare, experts are exploring its potential utility in nutritional health. Research shows that AI-powered analytics could determine portion sizes and calorie estimations and produce data sets on the outcomes of different diets. On a more personal level, today’s AI nutrition-tracking applications assist users with their daily eating habits.

How AI Can Transform Nutritional Health

According to Mayo Clinic Press, AI has already been implemented across various healthcare fields, including cardiology and radiology. Some applications of AI include producing faster results for cancer screenings and identifying people at risk of certain diseases, such as left ventricular dysfunction.

A paper published by Nutrients in June 2024 and included in the NIH National Library of Medicine database investigates AI’s role in transforming nutritional health. The paper found that the greatest application of AI in this field is providing dietary assessment, with other possible applications including malnutrition prediction, lifestyle interventions, and diet-related disease. 

Another benefit of introducing AI into nutritional health is increasing accessibility to nutritional management. As reported by The Decision Lab, an “AI nutritionist” could overcome the challenges of seeking nutritional counseling by providing comprehensive, at-home eating solutions that fit users’ schedules.

The Function of Natural Language Processing (NLP) Models

Most studies explored in the Nutrients paper employed natural language processing (NLP) models to improve nutrition through diet recommendations tailored to individual users. One of the studies implemented an NLP that communicated through a voice instead of written interactions, improving user friendliness for participants with low literacy skills. 

Based on 150 interactions, the voice-based NLP model achieved a success rate between 76% and 87%. The AI-generated recommendations, which considered physical and socioeconomic status, reached an accuracy rate of 100%.

A 12-week weekly analysis showed that the AI health assistant asked the right questions with 97% accuracy for the studies that employed text-based NLP models. 

Beyond lowering the barrier to accessing nutritional information, these AI health assistants can provide personalized recommendations and care plans. 

According to The Decision Lab, NLP models are trained on extensive datasets that include an individual’s health history and environmental factors, allowing them to analyze a user’s health needs. 

AI health assistants can also monitor food intake and offer real-time, ongoing user feedback through photo recognition technology. This allows for continuous adjustments to nutrition plans, adapting to changes in the user’s circumstances. 

The Rise of Personal Nutrition Applications

As health experts and researchers explore the applications and outcomes of AI in nutritional health, some AI tech companies are already helping individuals change their eating habits through their offerings of AI-powered nutrition trackers. One company at the forefront of this movement is MyNetDiary, which has been in the nutrition tracking business since 2005.

“By eliminating the manual entry process, we’re making it easier for people to stay mindful of their nutrition and stick to their goals,” states Sergey Oreshko, CEO of MyNetDiary.

The MyNetDiary app’s database has accumulated 1.7 million verified foods to provide comprehensive tracking. However, mixed dishes with hidden ingredients remain challenging, and the developer team is still trying to solve this problem.

The Future of AI-Powered Apps

The potential of AI-powered apps like MyNetDiary goes beyond dieting and weight management. These tools can increase awareness of critical nutritional factors, such as portion sizes and nutritional intake, which, when adequately managed, contribute to better overall health outcomes. 

As AI enters more of the nutritional health sphere, it could help more users transform their relationship with food and their eating habits. The growing usage of AI in nutrition marks just one way this new technology is changing society’s approach to individualized healthcare.