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Teens using AI meal plans could be eating too few calories — equivalent to skipping a meal (www.frontiersin.org)
submitted 5 months ago by to c/technology@lemmy.world
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Can AI tools make meal plans that help us lose weight the right way? In a new study, a team of researchers compared AI’s meal planning abilities to those of a dietician. The results showed that AI-made meal plans – when compared to dietician plans – severely undercalculated the needed amount of calories and macronutrients like carbs and overemphasized other macronutrients like proteins and lipids. The team cautioned that teens should not solely rely on AI to make meal plans for weight loss, saying that the consistent deviation of five different AI models from nutritional guidelines recommended by health organizations could have negative effects on growing bodies.

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[–] 1 point 5 months ago* (2 children)

I don't know where you live, but where I live junk is stupid fucking expensive compared to veggies, and an increasing number of people are still overweight. A single 300-350g frozen pizza will set you back at least 6EUR, I can easily buy fresh veggies for a meal to feed a family of 4 people for 12EUR, less if you try to save money. I simply don't buy in to the whole cost premise being the reason.

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  • [–] 7 points 5 months ago

    Time and energy to prep meals is also a cost. I don't know how it is in Europe, but in North America, the poor-but-employed segment of the population is often working multiple minimum wage jobs to stay afloat. Even if they know how to cook and have the tools to do so, they may be too tired when they get home to do more than pop a pizza in the oven.

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  • [–] 5 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    3 euros worth of vegetables almost definitely doesn't have the same calorie content than 3 euros worth of any junk food. This is true independent of where you live in the western world.

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  • [–] -1 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    Exactly, so obesity is not a cost issue

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  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    Yeah because poor people are famously known for switching to home cooked vegan meals which naturally decreases their calorie intake.

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  • [–] 0 points 5 months ago* (1 child)

    No if course not, but that is something entirely different than cost being the issue

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  • [–] 3 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    Cost isn't the only issue but it plays a big factor and this is a well established fact I didn't think I'd even need to debate.

    High calorie and low nutrition food (processed snacks, sugary drinks, fast food, refined carbs, and added fats/sugars) are cheaper per calorie than their nutrient-dense higher quality counterparts (fresh vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, whole grains, etc.).

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  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago*

    It is not "well established", your own link only lists it as one possibility out of several, and is by no means conclusive.

    also from your source:

    Limited time and resources: Another theory suggests that people with low food security have limited time, knowledge, and resources to engage in healthy eating and exercise.

    This is a highly complex issue, and cost doesn't seem to be the main driver at all, definitely not conclusively.

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