The American Journal of Medicine
Volume 120, Issue 7 , Pages 604-609.e2, July 2007

Quality of Weight Loss Advice on Internet Forums

  • Kevin O. Hwang, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical School at Houston
    • ,
  • Kiran Farheen, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical School at Houston
    • ,
  • Craig W. Johnson, PhD

      Affiliations

    • University of Texas School of Health Information Sciences at Houston
    • ,
  • Eric J. Thomas, MD, MPH

      Affiliations

    • Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical School at Houston
    • ,
  • Ann S. Barnes, MD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine.
    • ,
  • Elmer V. Bernstam, MD, MSE, MSa

      Affiliations

    • Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical School at Houston
    • University of Texas School of Health Information Sciences at Houston
    • Corresponding Author InformationRequests for reprints should be addressed to Elmer V. Bernstam, MD, MSE, MS, School of Health Information Sciences and Internal Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, 7000 Fannin Street, Suite 600, Houston, TX 77030.

Received 9 February 2007; accepted 25 April 2007.

Abstract 

Background

Adults use the Internet for weight loss information, sometimes by participating in discussion forums. Our purpose was to analyze the quality of advice exchanged on these forums.

Methods

This was a retrospective analysis of messages posted to 18 Internet weight loss forums during 1 month in 2006. Advice was evaluated for congruence with clinical guidelines; potential for causing harm; and subsequent correction when it was contradictory to guidelines (erroneous) or potentially harmful. Message- and forum-specific characteristics were evaluated as predictors of advice quality and self-correction.

Results

Of 3368 initial messages, 266 (7.9%) were requests for advice. Of 654 provisions of advice, 56 (8.6%) were erroneous and 19 of these 56 (34%) were subsequently corrected. Forty-three (6.6%) provisions of advice were harmful, and 12 of these 43 (28%) were subsequently corrected. Messages from low-activity forums (fewer messages) were more likely than those from high-activity forums to be erroneous (10.6% vs 2.4%, P < .001) or harmful (8.4% vs 1.2%, P < .001). In high-activity forums, 2 of 4 (50%) erroneous provisions of advice and 2 of 2 (100%) potentially harmful provisions of advice were corrected by subsequent postings. Compared with general weight loss advice, medication-related advice was more likely to be erroneous (P = .02) or harmful (P = .01).

Conclusions

Most advice posted on highly active Internet weight loss forums is not erroneous or harmful. However, clinical and research strategies are needed to address the quality of medication-related advice.

Keywords: Internet, Obesity, Overweight, Weight loss

 

 This research was supported in part by Health Resources and Services Administration Bureau of Health Professions Grant D55HP00045, National Library of Medicine grant 5 K22 LM008306 (to E. V. B.), and National Institutes of Health/National Center for Research Resources (1 UL1 RR 024148).

PII: S0002-9343(07)00451-2

doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2007.04.017

The American Journal of Medicine
Volume 120, Issue 7 , Pages 604-609.e2, July 2007

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