Nutrition plays a crucial role in maintaining mental health and well-being. However, personalized nutrition plans that take into account individual preferences, biological profile, and mental health goals can be challenging to create and maintain. Here, we discuss some insights about Liferapy, an AI-based mobile app (we built) that generates personalized nutrition plans for users based on their unique biological profile and mental health goals. The app utilizes an algorithm that has access to a vast collection of literature linking certain ingredients and micronutrients to positive or negative effects on biological conditions and cognitive, emotional, and sleep functions. Additionally, Liferapy has access to thousands of recipes along with data for more than a hundred nutrients for each ingredient in each recipe. The algorithm matches the user’s biological profile with the available evidence and generates a personalized probability distribution to generate nutritional scenarios tailored to each user. The algorithm then optimizes the scenarios to drive them towards optima. In this paper, we describe the development and evaluation of Liferapy and its potential to improve mental health through personalized nutrition.
Introduction
Mental health is a critical aspect of overall well-being, and research has shown that nutrition plays a significant role in its maintenance. Deficiencies in certain micronutrients have been linked to various mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety. Furthermore, the relationship between diet and mental health is complex, involving not only the presence or absence of specific nutrients but also the overall dietary pattern. Despite the growing body of research on the link between nutrition and mental health, translating these findings into practical applications for the general population has been a challenge.
Previous studies have shown that certain dietary patterns, such as the Mediterranean diet, may have a protective effect against depression. A study by Sarris et al. (2015) found that a Mediterranean-style diet was associated with a reduced risk of depression, and another study by Jacka et al. (2017) found that a higher adherence to a Mediterranean diet was associated with a lower prevalence of depression and anxiety. Additionally, studies have shown that specific nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, may have a positive impact on mental health. A study by Sublette et al. (2011) found that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation was associated with a decrease in symptoms of depression.
In addition to its impact on the emotional function, nutrition also plays a role in cognitive function and sleep. Studies have shown that a diet high in fruits and vegetables is associated with better cognitive function and a lower risk of cognitive decline. Additionally, a diet that is high in processed foods, added sugars, and saturated fats is associated with poor cognitive function and an increased risk of cognitive decline. Furthermore, studies have shown that specific nutrients, such as vitamin E and D, are associated with better cognitive function.
Furthermore, adequate sleep is essential for maintaining mental health, and nutrition plays an important role in regulating sleep. For example, certain nutrients, such as tryptophan, an amino acid found in protein-rich foods, can promote sleep. Additionally, consuming a high-carbohydrate meal before bedtime can increase the level of insulin in the blood, which can promote sleep. However, consuming a high-fat or high-protein meal can suppress insulin levels, leading to difficulty sleeping.
However, despite this knowledge, the practical implementation of these findings in the daily lives of individuals has been limited. Traditional approaches to personalized nutrition planning, such as consulting a dietitian, can be costly and time-consuming. Furthermore, the complexity of the relationship between nutrition and mental health makes it difficult for individuals to make informed decisions about their dietary choices.
Recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to assist in creating personalized nutrition plans that take into account the unique needs of each individual. AI can analyze large amounts of data, such as recipe and nutrient information, and literature on the relationship between nutrition and mental health, to generate personalized nutrition plans. In this study, we present Liferapy, an AI-based mobile app that utilizes these capabilities to generate personalized nutrition plans for users based on their unique biological profile and mental health goals.
Methods
The development of Liferapy was a collaborative effort involving a team of bioinformaticians, biologists, bioengineers, biotechnologists, and nutritionists. The team reviewed the literature in order to assemble a proprietary database of evidence connecting different ingredients or micronutrients to positive or negative effects on various diseases, lab values, medicines, lifestyle patterns, and more. They also assembled a database of evidence linking ingredients and micronutrients to positive or negative effects on cognitive, emotional, and sleep functions.
The team also assembled a database of ingredients and their corresponding nutritional profiles, which includes information on over a hundred nutrients for each ingredient. This information was manually linked to the evidence data as well as to the recipes data. The algorithm behind Liferapy has access to thousands of recipes and the precise nutritional profile of each recipe, as well as the impact of each recipe on the user’s profile based on the scientific literature.
To generate personalized nutrition plans, Liferapy’s algorithm uses the user’s unique biological profile, including information on age, sex, diseases, lab values, and medicines, as well as the user’s nutritional preferences, such as daily meal structure, type of diet, variability of meals, and recipe complexity. The algorithm matches the user’s profile with the available evidence and generates a personalized probability distribution over the recipe space.
The algorithm then optimizes the scenarios generated from this distribution to drive them towards an optimal nutritional plan, where the optimal is defined by a group of nutritionists and health guidelines, and is tailored to the user’s unique needs.
Safety by design
Safety is a crucial aspect of Liferapy. The architecture of the algorithm is engineered to ensure that the scenarios generated are safe for the user. Liferapy is basically safe by design. Infact the algorithm is designed to generate scenarios that tend towards the boundaries of optima defined by nutrition experts and these boundaries take into account optimal ranges of values for a wide range of macronutrients and micronutrients, factoring inside also the personalization required by the user’s unique biological profile.
Liferapy
Liferapy is a game-changing AI-based mobile app that generates personalized nutrition plans tailored to each user’s unique biological profile and mental health goals. Our proprietary algorithm reviews a vast amount of scientific literature and recipe data to create personalized nutritional scenarios. Not only Liferapy is engineered to improve mental health, but it’s also safe by design. Let’s upgrade our life with Liferapy!
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