AI as a helper in obesity care: what works and what doesn’t

Obesity rates are climbing worldwide, pushing doctors and patients to look for smarter tools. One tool getting attention is ChatGPT, an AI chatbot that can chat in plain language. Studies published from late 2022 to late 2025 were reviewed to see how well this AI actually supports obesity care. Out of 37 studies, most rated the AI’s accuracy as moderate, not perfect. When it came to lifestyle and nutrition advice, the bot matched expert guidelines in three out of four cases. For bariatric surgery questions, half the answers lined up with official recommendations. Compared with other AIs, ChatGPT did slightly better overall, though head-to-head tests are still rare.The review also lists eight ways ChatGPT could help: guiding daily habits, keeping users interested, boosting patient confidence in treatment choices, explaining medications, doing quick risk checks, advising on surgery, predicting health trends, and even speeding up research reviews. Sounds useful, but the same review flags big red flags. Accuracy slips when the chatbot drifts off-topic. Built-in biases in the training data can lead to advice that misses cultural differences or language barriers. Clear rules on who is responsible when something goes wrong are missing. Experts worry users might lean too hard on the AI and forget to check with real doctors.