Teens who use AI in their diet may be told to eat nearly 700 fewer daily calories than they need.

Breaded chicken, brown rice and steamed broccoli, and then breaded salmon, sweet potatoes, and a green salad just dressed with olive oil. Oh, and keep each ingredient under 4 ounces and keep the entire day of eating to around 1,500 calories.

Does this sound like enough food for every 15-year-old boy you know? Well, that’s what AI offers for one.

If a young person is interested in losing weight, they are likely to turn to artificial intelligence platforms for advice.

But this can cause problems.

The AI ​​advice they receive may be to keep their calories and nutrients well below their daily needs, according to a new study published Thursday in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition.

AI meal plans for teenagers seeking weight loss contained an average of 700 fewer calories per day than recommended by human dietitians, said lead study author Dr. Ayşe Betul Beylan, assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition and Nutrition at Atlas University in Istanbul, Turkey.

There were also significant differences in the plans when it came to protein, fat, and carbohydrates.

The problem is particularly pressing given how widespread weight-loss efforts and AI use are among teenagers, said Dr. Jason Nagata, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco. He was not involved in the research.

According to a January study, nearly 48% of teens 16 and older reported trying to lose weight in the past year. And a Pew Research Center survey found that nearly two-thirds of teens report using chatbots, with about 30% saying they use them daily. So, it’s no surprise to see young people using chatbots to learn how to eat.

“While these technologies can be useful for general information, they should take the place of professional guidance — especially for children and youth whose nutritional needs are unique,” Beilein said.

Not enough calories, wrong nutrients

Even though AI productivity platforms are widely used by teenagers, researchers––and the general public––still don’t know much about the types of information teens get from AI.

To investigate the quality of nutritional information provided by AI platforms, researchers created four profiles of 15-year-old children: two boys and two girls, each classified as overweight and one obese by body mass index, or BMI.

Using each of these profiles, the researchers asked five different AI models for a three-day meal plan, knowing that the profiled individuals wanted to lose weight.

Meal plans are compared to dietitian guidelines. Not only did the AI-generated plans include a large calorie deficit, but protein and fat were significantly higher than the diet’s recommended levels, and carbohydrates were much lower.

“For teenagers, who are in a critical period of growth and development, this disparity can be potentially problematic if followed over the long term,” Beilein said.

Risks to growth and development

Incorrect guidance on what to eat can be a big problem for young people.

“Young people grow up,” Nagata said. “If teenagers don’t have adequate nutrition, it can actually stunt their growth on a number of levels, and in more severe cases, it can lead to significant health consequences.”

Nagata has seen far too many cases in which teenagers who are chronically malnourished require hospitalization or significant medical interventions because their heart or brain function is affected.

Another concern is that a diet plan with too few calories or incorrect nutritional recommendations can perpetuate eating disorders, Nagata said.

“Not everyone who tries to lose weight develops an eating disorder, but a significant proportion of them may engage in unhealthy weight control behaviors such as fasting, skipping meals, vomiting or using non-prescribed weight loss medications,” he said.

Why you need to be less skeptical with AI

Generative AI may seem like a promising resource when it comes to nurturing teenagers, or really anyone.

However, many people have difficulty meeting nutrition goals and lack access to highly qualified professionals, said Dr. Erin Hennessy, dean of research strategy and director of the Child Life 180 Initiative at Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. She was not involved in the research.

But what this study shows is that many of these chatbots have limitations in providing important health information and that both teenagers and adults need more literacy around this technology, Nagata said.

A major problem is that the algorithms behind AI platforms may be deriving from widespread misinformation about nutrition online, said Dr. Natalie Mitt, a pediatric obesity medicine specialist, registered dietitian and co-founder of Namio Health.

Or an AI platform may weigh unqualified advice against information backed by science, research and broader concerns for well-being, added Muth, who was not involved in the research.

“It doesn’t really think seriously about these issues,” Nagata noted. “It just gives you what you ask for, without providing a wide range of conditions, which I think most health care providers or dietitians would provide.”

These programs are also designed to adapt to you, giving you the information you ask for without questioning your assumptions or what you asked for, he said. While a healthcare professional might push against the urge to lose weight unhealthy or fast and advise you on what really works, an algorithm is more likely to tell you how to do it.

This is all true whether you are a teenager or an adult trying to lose weight.

Perhaps there is a future where these platforms can better account for differences. But at the same time, Nagata said it’s important for families and teens to be aware of limitations and learn how to think more critically about their cues and responses.

For example, the data might be more accurate if the hypothetical teenagers in the study had sought weight-loss advice from the World Health Organization, or another scientific organization, following nutrient and calorie requirements, he said.

“I also encourage people that whenever they receive information from an AI, to verify that information through a reliable source … such as a registered dietitian, or another reliable source,” Nagata said.

What should young people eat?

Remember that meal plan for a 15-year-old boy that calls for small portions and about 1,500 calories a day?

Even if this young person is hoping to lose weight, eating less is the way to go. The exact range of needs varies by individual, but on average, teenage boys need about 2,800 calories a day and teenage girls need about 2,200, according to healthychildren.org, from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Even on the lower side, the American Heart Association recommends that girls ages 14 to 18 get 1,800 calories a day and boys get 2,200 calories a day.

Families should focus on a balanced diet for their teens rather than restrictive diets, Nagata said.

“Young people often need more calories and nutrients than families expect because of growth spurts, puberty and activity levels,” he said in an email. “Teens should avoid crash diets, severe calorie restriction, and the use of nonprescribed weight loss products.”

And if you’re concerned about a youngster’s nutrition or growth, Nagata recommends speaking with a pediatrician or registered dietitian for guidance.

Create an account at CNN.com for more CNN news and updates