Ethical frameworks for AI-assisted dietetic practice
摘要
The rapid integration of Artificial Intelligent (AI) into nutrition and dietetics has transformed clinical decision-making, personalized nutrition planning, and patient monitoring, while simultaneously introducing complex ethical, professional, and regulatory challenges. This paper examines the intersection of AI technologies with dietetic professional ethics, focusing on core ethical principles, scope of practice, competency requirements, and risk management. AI-driven systems are increasingly used in dietary assessment, metabolic risk prediction, bariatric surgery follow-up, nutrigenomics, and intensive care nutrition, offering enhanced data processing capacity, precision, and personalization. However, issues such as data privacy, algorithmic bias, transparency, patient autonomy, and accountability remain critical concerns. Evidence from recent studies demonstrates that although AI tools can support accurate nutrient estimation, symptom interpretation, and patient engagement, they may also generate misinformation, lack contextual clinical judgment, and fall short in empathy-based communication. These limitations highlight the necessity of maintaining human oversight and ethical responsibility in dietetic practice. The analysis emphasizes the need for AI literacy in professional training, continuous competency development, and the establishment of robust ethical and regulatory frameworks to ensure safe, equitable, and responsible AI use. Overall, AI should be positioned as a complementary tool that augments—rather than replaces—dietitians’ expertise, supporting ethically grounded, patient-centered, and scientifically validated nutrition care.