Beyond Social Media and AI: The Essential Role of the Registered Dietitian in Ballet Performance and Health
Ballet is an art form in which the body is the instrument. Keeping a dancer’s body strong, fueled, healthy, and performing at its best requires an interdisciplinary approach. Physicians and physiotherapists/physical therapists are often the first line of support for a dancer’s physical health. However, the role of the Registered Dietitian (RD) is paramount in injury prevention, recovery, and optimal performance.
A ballet dancer’s schedule is both physically and mentally demanding. Historically, the role of the RD has often been negatively associated with weight and body shape, creating the misconception that dancers only work with a nutrition professional when they need to lose weight. In reality, RDs, particularly those specializing in working with dancers, are often trained in sports nutrition, as dancers are aesthetic athletes who place incredible demands on their bodies. In many other athletic environments, visible, and sometimes audible, signs of physical exertion are often celebrated. Ballet, however, presents a unique challenge. Dancers are expected to perform at extremely high levels while making the work appear effortless. Behind the scenes, training loads can rival those of other elite athletes, requiring long rehearsal hours, multiple classes per day, cross-training, and late nights in the theatre. The energy demands of ballet can be substantial and require a sophisticated understanding of fueling strategies, nutrient timing, recovery, and overall energy availability to support performance and health. An RD with expertise in dance medicine and performance nutrition can help dancers fuel optimally around training, rehearsals, and performances.
Nutrition is also one of the most misunderstood areas within both ballet culture and society in general. Social media and the rise of influencers have made nutrition information more accessible than ever before. With just a few taps on a phone, individuals can access thousands of videos, posts, and recommendations. Platforms such as TikTok and Instagram have provided spaces where anyone can share nutrition advice regardless of their education, training, or qualifications (1).
More recently, we have seen an incredible rise in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) powered chatbots. Having these technologies at our fingertips provides a convenient and often persuasive way to obtain medical or nutrition information. While influencers require no credentials to share thoughts and recommendations around health and wellness, AI chatbots such as Chat GPT, create a different challenge, they often present information with confidence, regardless of its accuracy. As a result, individuals increasingly look to both social media and AI for answers. However, buyer beware, a recent audit of five major AI chatbots evaluated their responses to questions across five categories, including nutrition and athletic performance. Subject matter experts assessed the quality and accuracy of the responses. The study found that 49.6% of answers were considered “problematic,” 30% were “somewhat problematic,” and 19.6% were classified as “highly problematic.” Nutrition and athletic performance contained some of the highest percentages of problematic responses and among the fewest non-problematic responses (2).
Given the overwhelming amount of misinformation available online, it is increasingly important to seek guidance from qualified professionals such as Registered Dietitians. RDs are clinically trained healthcare professionals who complete rigorous academic and supervised practice requirements in order to provide evidence-based nutrition care. Their recommendations are grounded in scientific literature, clinical experience, and individualized assessment rather than trends, algorithms, or anecdotal experiences.
One of the greatest benefits of working with an RD is the personalized nature of care. Meeting with an individual one on one ensures that recommendations are tailored to the unique needs of the dancer. An RD can evaluate current dietary intake, training demands, performance goals, medical history, family history, medications, supplements, lifestyle factors, and psychosocial influences that may impact nutrition and health. This level of personalization simply cannot be replicated through generalized online content or AI-generated responses.
Additionally, RDs are uniquely positioned to integrate performance nutrition with clinical considerations. They can provide support in areas such as Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs), eating disorders, disordered eating, gastrointestinal disorders, menstrual dysfunction, bone health, injury recovery, and chronic disease management. For dancers, these areas are particularly important given the physical demands of the profession and the aesthetic pressures that often accompany it.
While AI may be capable of generating broad nutrition recommendations, it cannot truly understand the nuances of an individual’s lived experience. Nutrition counseling is not simply about providing information; it is about building a relationship, asking thoughtful questions, understanding context, and adapting recommendations over time. The conversation itself is often one of the most valuable components of working with an RD. A skilled dietitian is able to explore barriers, motivations, fears, misconceptions, cultural influences, and personal goals through meaningful dialogue. Dancers may have concerns about body image, performance expectations, injury recovery, or fueling practices that they are hesitant to discuss openly. These conversations require empathy, trust, and clinical judgment. An AI chatbot may provide information, but it cannot observe emotional responses, recognize hesitation, or create a therapeutic environment where sensitive topics can be explored safely. Human interaction remains a critical component of effective nutrition care.
RDs have also become much more accessible through virtual care, allowing dancers to connect with specialists regardless of geographic location. Virtual appointments can provide excellent support and increase access to care for those who may not have a dance specialized RD nearby. However, there are still unique advantages to in person care. Meeting face to face with a clinician can create a safer and more comfortable environment, particularly when discussing sensitive nutrition related concerns. For dancers struggling with an eating disorder or disordered eating, aspects of care such as weight monitoring may be particularly stressful. In-person visits allow these assessments to occur in a supportive clinical environment and can often be conducted in a blinded manner when appropriate.
Furthermore, an in-person assessment allows the RD to conduct a more comprehensive evaluation that extends beyond conversation alone. Nutrition-focused physical findings (NFPFs) are an important component of nutrition assessment and can provide valuable insight into overall health and nutritional status. These findings may include observations related to muscle mass, fat stores, skin integrity, hair quality, nail health, hydration status, oral health, and other physical indicators that may suggest nutrient deficiencies, inadequate energy intake, or underlying health concerns. For dancers, these assessments can be particularly meaningful. Signs of chronic low energy availability, inadequate recovery, micronutrient deficiencies, or disordered eating patterns may present through subtle physical changes that are not always captured through laboratory values, dietary records, or self-reported symptoms alone. An experienced RD can integrate these observations with clinical history and performance concerns to develop a more complete understanding of the dancer’s health.
Body language and non-verbal communication also play a significant role in nutrition counseling. An RD may notice signs of anxiety, discomfort, fatigue, stress, or emotional distress during an in-person interaction. These observations often inform the direction of the conversation and can help identify concerns that might otherwise go unaddressed. Such nuanced clinical observations are difficult, if not impossible, for AI technologies to replicate.
As technology continues to evolve, AI may become a useful tool for accessing general nutrition information. However, it should not replace individualized nutrition assessment and counseling from a qualified healthcare professional. For dancers, whose careers depend on the health and function of their bodies, evidence-based guidance, clinical expertise, personalized assessment, and meaningful human connection remain essential.
Written by Laura M Reece, MS RD CSSD LDN
Citations:
Diyab R, Grgurevic J, Roy R. Exploring nutrition misinformation on social media platforms. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society. 2025;84(OCE1):E8. doi:10.1017/S0029665125000187
Tiller NB, Marcon AR, Zenone M, et al Generative artificial intelligence-driven chatbots and medical misinformation: an accuracy, referencing and readability audit BMJ Open 2026;16:e112695. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-112695