SINGAPORE - A new AI-powered tool could soon be used to help residents better personalise individual dietary and exercise plans to meet their goals under Healthier SG.
HealthGuide@Home is a digital assistant that generates and refines personalised health plans based on information or preferences provided by the user.
With caregiving manpower constraints in Singapore’s current super-aged society, the use of agentic AI tools allows for the implementation of personalised lifestyle interventions on a national scale, said a team of researchers from the Ministry of Health (MOH) and its entities in a published academic paper on the small-scale testing of the tool.
Agentic AI is able to proactively figure out the sequence of steps needed to achieve a goal defined by its user, with minimal to no human intervention in the process.
Unlike traditional AI models, whose answers are limited to the data they are trained on, agentic AI can use computer tools as a human user would because it understands human language and responds dynamically.
The development of this artificial intelligence tool was outlined in the journal paper published by a group of policymakers from MOH and its entities – national healthtech agency Synapxe, the Health Promotion Board (HPB), and the MOH Office for Healthcare Transformation.
The paper was accepted in February by peer-reviewed journal npj Digital Medicine, published by Nature Portfolio, whose flagship publications include Nature.
Asked about the tool’s implementation plans and timeline, Synapxe told The Straits Times that findings from the published study “are being used to guide our ongoing effort to improve the Healthier SG experience for residents and support them in taking action for better health”.
HealthGuide@Home may be rolled out for those enrolled under Healthier SG, according to the npj paper.
Healthier SG is the national preventative health initiative launched in 2023, which helps people to take proactive steps to manage their health, prevent the onset of chronic diseases and lead healthier lifestyles.
Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 40 and above can enrol with their chosen private general practitioner (GP) or a polyclinic doctor.
The first consultation with the registered doctor is fully subsidised by MOH and focuses on the development of a personalised health plan.
For instance, the doctor might recommend limiting one’s sugar intake to 10 teaspoons per day, and engaging in 100 minutes of low-intensity aerobic exercise three days a week.
HealthGuide@Home can then refine the exercise recommendations based on what the user chooses, such as the number of days to set aside for exercise in a week, a preference for indoor or outdoor activities, or to exercise alone or in a group.
Synapxe said the content and information contained on the HPB’s MOVE IT website, which includes physical activity programmes, resources and tips for individuals of various fitness levels, are used by the tool to derive its recommendations.
It can also recommend ActiveSG’s community activities and programmes, such as kayaking, pickleball and aqua aerobics.
It can also recommend healthy meals to cook at home or when eating out, and even modify recipes according to the user’s preferences for specific food ingredients, as well as their desired levels of caloric or sodium consumption.
Synapxe said that in coming up with these recommendations, the tool would have considered official health advice from MOH and HPB for chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
The tool also ensures that the health plan is responsive to the individual’s evolving needs.
For instance, if the person recently suffered a minor injury, the tool can regenerate the plan and recommend exercises that will still be suitable.
Synapxe told ST that the AI tool is not meant to replace the Healthier SG consultation.
“Residents could use HealthGuide@Home as a self-help tool to generate more detailed exercise and diet plans, based on the goals in their Health Plan,” said Synapxe.
The pilot study of 20 residents and seven clinicians showed that there was a generally positive user acceptance of this AI assistant.
The majority of residents valued the personalisation and level of granularity in the recommendations, and did not express major concerns about the recommended plans.
“This pilot study highlights the potential of AI-driven digital assistants in supporting preventive healthcare programmes,” said the team in its paper.
Synapxe also said that safety remained its top priority when designing the AI tool.
It added that safeguards were in place, including customising recommendations that did not conflict with the resident’s health profile.
In addition, the AI system will respond only to questions on diet and exercise. It will prompt the user to consult a healthcare professional for medical matters.
Source: Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Limited | Reproduced with permission.
