Debating AI in Nutrition and Dietetics: Tool, Threat, or Transformative Force

Description

Learning Objectives

• Compare divergent perspectives on the role of AI in dietetics practice.
• Identify evidence supporting both the benefits and limitations of AI-assisted nutrition care.
• Evaluate ethical, professional, and practical implications of adopting AI technologies in dietetics.

Performance Indicators

• 6.2.7 Suggests, develops and/or implements innovative programs, platforms, applications and technologies to meet the needs of audiences and the workplace.
• 6.3.5 Understands emerging technologies (e.g., AI, machine learning) and associated ethical considerations, including bias, data ownership, transparency, and the responsible use of data by healthcare professionals or clients.
• 8.4.4 Develops, modifies or implements strategies, techniques and tools for process or system improvement.

Speakers

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  David Cavallo

  Assistant Professor, Case Western Reserve University

  Dr. Cavallo is a behavioral scientist and educator specializing in emerging technologies for dietetic pedagogy and lifestyle modification. He currently serves as Secretary of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Research Dietetic Practice Group (DPG) and chairs the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) Task Force on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Continuing Education. An established speaker, he has delivered numerous national presentations on AI applications within dietetics. His current research investigates innovative modalities, specifically tailored nutrition education chatbots and student perceptions of AI in dietetic curricula. Additionally, Dr. Cavallo contributes to the Case Western Reserve University Task Force on AI Use in Education and holds certification as an Auburn University AI Explorer in Education.

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  Alexandra MacMillan Uribe

  Assistant Professor, Texas A&M AgriLife Research

  Alexandra (Lexi) L. MacMillan Uribe, PhD, RDN, is an Assistant Professor of Healthy Living for Texas A&M AgriLife Research & Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture. She studied psychology at Penn State University before pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison investigating interventions targeting the mother-infant dyad within a primary-care group approach. She continued her training as a postdoctoral fellow in the NIH-sponsored Maternal and Child Nutrition Training Grant at Cornell University. Dr. MacMillan Uribe uses community-informed strategies to develop, adapt, and evaluate health promotion programs that address food and nutrition insecurity and reduce risk or incidence of chronic diseases. More specifically, her research aims to evaluate programs and strategies for improving diet- and chronic disease-related outcomes; leverage digital technology to deliver health education and information; use community-informed and mixed-methods approaches to inform health promotion programs; understand the role of social factors in diet to inform program development; and develop valid and reliable evaluation tools for health promotion programs.

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Moderator

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  Michele Rager

  Sr. Director, Nutrition Programming, Weight Watchers

  Dr. Michele Rager is a healthcare innovator and nutrition technology leader with over 20 years of experience advancing evidence-based, technology-enabled care. She currently serves as Senior Director of Nutrition Programming at Weight Watchers, where she leads global nutrition strategy and program development. She has held leadership roles at Berry Street, Season Health, and UPMC Enterprises, and brings a unique perspective as both a clinician and entrepreneur. Her work related to AI focuses on how dietitians can leverage AI responsibly—balancing innovation with ethics, equity, and the human element of care. Dr. Rager holds a Doctor of Clinical Nutrition from Rutgers University and is a Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

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