ChatGPT is used to set up workouts and diets, but there is a risk – 06/17/2023 – Equilibrium

After being a psychologist and travel guide, ChatGPT now takes on the role of personal trainer and nutritionist. Experts point out, however, that monitoring by a qualified professional cannot be replaced by artificial intelligence.

Gisela Gomes, 20, has already used the tool to create workouts, and considers the result satisfactory. “I liked the training that the chat gave. It created a well-optimized table based on the guidelines that I gave, with training of 30 to 40 minutes, which was what I was looking for”, says she, who is a business student.

Giving the correct specifications, she claims that the chat can give satisfactory answers, but is concerned about the veracity and accuracy of the information. When she asked the tool for a diet, the result was not very positive. “I asked him to put together a diet once and compared it with my nutritionist’s. Some things were too much and others were too generic.”

Due to the tool’s limitations, Gisela began to distrust some of the answers, and considers that the tool does not replace qualified professionals. “I think that for someone who has no prior knowledge of the subject, it is quite risky.”

Gisela’s perception after using ChatGPT confirms the experts’ recommendations. Personal trainer Yuri Motoyama says that many students test out of curiosity, but that, in general, they don’t follow a routine based on the indications of artificial intelligence.

The lack of care with the veracity of the information makes the professional consider the use of the chat for this purpose dangerous. In addition to the possibility of false indications, Motoyama warns of the lack of specification of the suggested training.

“When we are going to set up a workout, we need to do an anamnesis, see the person’s exercise history, what are their preferences and adjust this workout to their limitations as well”, says an expert. “It is a daily follow-up, and if necessary, we change the training on a daily basis. ChatGPT does not do this follow-up.”

Using the platform for this purpose also increases the risk of injury. Often, the tool can suggest a training intensity or load that exceeds the user’s capacity. In addition, it can make the practitioner perform the movements the wrong way, something harmful.

This is also one of the main negative notes of lawyer Alexandre Alvarenga, 27, who has already tested the tool for training.

He claims that the chat indicates the names of the exercises, but does not explain how the execution is done. “Sometimes you have to turn to other media, like YouTube, to understand exercise that you don’t know about,” he points out.

Alexandre also considers the information passed through the chat to be very generic. According to him, every time he requested the creation of training, even asking with different information, the result was similar.

For the lawyer, however, the practicality and gratuity of the tool can be attractive to some. “I think it might be interesting for those who can’t afford [acompanhamento profissional]but if that’s an option, it’s not worth it,” he says.

Nutritionist Dennys Cintra, coordinator of the Nutrigenomics Laboratory at Unicamp (University of Campinas), says that the tool can be useful, but when it comes to health care, its limitations are many.

“Nutrition and sports science are undervalued because they apparently don’t pose risks, but that’s not true,” he points out. “It’s the same risk of using ChatGPT as a doctor and accepting that prescription.”

The specialist points out that, both for the recommendation of training and diets, the treatment needs to be individualized. According to him, the same food plan can have different effects for each person, and there are issues related to metabolism that will not be considered by the machine when making suggestions.

“It can guide, but for the treatment of an individual, it will fail. The chance of inducing an error is enormous”, he says.