ChatGPT recommended a high-fat keto diet to a 39-year-old financial adviser — without ever asking about his medical history. He had kidney stones and his doctor had told him to limit animal protein. In another case, a patient who followed ChatGPT's suggestions ate only papaya, spinach, chicken and eggs for months to relieve bloating, losing a concerning amount of weight and developing fatigue and hair loss.
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Expert: Shelley Wood, Gastroenterology Dietitian, San Jose Registered dietitian Shelley Wood says patients are following 'unnecessarily restrictive diets based on chatbot suggestions.' Nick Tiller of the Lundquist Institute found 72% of 50 chatbot nutrition responses were rated ineffective or harmful if followed. A March 2026 Turkish study found five chatbots produced meal plans averaging about 700 fewer daily calories than dietitians' plans for overweight teens — risking malnutrition and eating disorders. Dietitians Dawn Clifford (Northern Arizona University) and Wesley McWhorter (Houston) urge running any AI diet advice past a doctor or dietitian before acting on it. Source: https://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2026/06/29/should-you-take-nutrition-advice-from-a-chatbot
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