Digital Nutrition: Effectiveness of Mobile Apps and Artificial Intelligence for Healthy Eating Behavior Change

Digital nutrition technologies integrating mobile health applications and artificial intelligence (AI) have rapidly evolved as scalable tools for promoting healthy eating behaviors. This PhD-level research paper critically examines the effectiveness of digital nutrition interventions with emphasis on usage patterns, user adherence, and health outcomes. Using a systematic review approach, peer-reviewed literature published between 2015 and 2025 was analyzed to synthesize evidence on behavioral, clinical, and technological outcomes. Findings indicate that mobile nutrition apps improve dietary awareness, self-monitoring, and short- to medium-term health outcomes such as weight management and diet quality. AI-driven personalization further enhances user engagement and reduces self-reporting burden. However, sustained adherence remains a major limitation. This paper highlights the need for theory-driven design, ethical AI implementation, and longitudinal research to strengthen the role of digital nutrition in public health and clinical practice.