Part 6: How AI and Expert Science Are Transforming Nutrition Information

Nutrition is the foundation of health, yet millions of Americans still lack access to both reliable information and basic healthy food. At the 2025 Tufts University Food is Medicine Summit, Dr. Victor Zhao, President of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), addressed this challenge head-on, combining medical expertise with emerging technology to strengthen the nation’s nutrition intelligence. 

Poor nutrition drives disease across every demographic. In the U.S., diet-related conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes account for nearly half of all cardiometabolic deaths. Forty percent of adults are obese, and one in five children — about 47 million Americans, experience food insecurity. Rates are highest among African American and Latino households. Between 2011 and 2020, the economic cost of poor nutrition exceeded $16 trillion, highlighting that food insecurity is not only a health issue but a systemic one. 

Meanwhile, the internet has become the primary source of nutrition advice for most Americans. Studies show that 70% of U.S. adults look for nutrition information online, but much of it is inaccurate or misleading. Social media platforms and unverified content often amplify confusion, not clarity. 

A New Approach: When AI Meets Expert Science

To tackle this growing gap, NAM is partnering with the Tufts Food is Medicine Institute and Google to combine artificial intelligence (AI) with scientific validation. The goal: to improve the credibility, accessibility, and quality of nutrition information at scale. 

Here’s how the initiative works: 

1. Data Curation – High-quality nutrition research and evidence-based guidelines are compiled into a structured dataset. 

2. AI Generation – Generative AI models produce responses to common nutrition questions. 

3. Expert Review – Independent scientists and clinicians evaluate AI outputs for accuracy, safety, and completeness, refining them based on expert consensus. 

4. Iterative Learning – The models are continuously updated with expert feedback, strengthening reliability over time. 

This approach ensures that AI-generated content remains grounded in peer-reviewed science, setting a new benchmark for how technology can responsibly support health literacy and clinical education. 

Bridging Science and Everyday Decisions

This collaboration aims to bridge the gap between academic nutrition research and practical, daily decision-making by: 

• Empowering individuals – Helping people make informed food choices to prevent disease and promote well-being. 

• Advancing equity – Providing accurate, accessible nutrition guidance that reduces disparities in health outcomes. 

• Supporting healthcare systems – Improving population health through better-informed patients and fewer preventable illnesses. 

Dr. Zhao emphasized that the project’s integrity is built on transparency. All expert reviewers are independent, conflicts of interest are disclosed, and the initiative is focused solely on advancing public health, not promoting commercial products. 

The Role of Nurish’d: Applying AI to Personalized Nutrition in Practice 

At Nurish’d, we share the vision of using technology to make nutrition more precise, accessible, and equitable. 

Our platform integrates AI-driven analytics and clinical data to: 

• Personalize nutrition interventions based on individual health needs, conditions, and care goals 

• Help payers and providers match patients with appropriate Food is Medicine programs and medically tailored meals (MTMs) 

• Improve care coordination by connecting nutrition guidance with electronic health records (EHRs) and patient engagement tools 

• Generate data insights that demonstrate the impact of nutrition on outcomes and cost savings 

By combining expert-reviewed science with adaptive technology, Nurish’d helps healthcare organizations translate knowledge into action, making nutrition care more scalable, accountable, and human-centered. 

Looking Ahead

The partnership between the National Academy of Medicine, Tufts, and Google represents a pivotal shift in how nutrition information is produced and trusted. It’s a model for the future, one where AI and expert science work hand in hand to strengthen public understanding and healthcare delivery. 

At Nurish’d, we’re building on that same foundation, using data, evidence, and design to bring the principles of Food is Medicine to life at scale. Because in an era of information overload, trusted, intelligent guidance is the key to healthier lives and stronger communities.