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.

References 

  1. Flegal KM, Carrol MD, Ogden CL, Johnson CL. Prevalence and trends in obesity among US adults, 1999-2000. JAMA. 2002;288:1723–1727
  2. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Obesity Education Initiative Expert Panel on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults. Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults. Bethesda, MD: National Institutes of Health publication No. 98-4083; 1998;
  3. Snow V, Barry P, Fitterman N, et al. Pharmacologic and surgical management of obesity in primary care: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2005;142:525–531
  4. Bish CL, Blanck HM, Serdula MK, et al. Diet and physical activity behaviors among Americans trying to lose weight: 2000 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Obes Res. 2005;13:596–607
  5. Blanck HM, Khan LK, Serdula MK. Use of nonprescription weight loss products: Results from a multistate survey. JAMA. 2001;286:930–935
  6. Fox S, Rainie L. The online health care revolution: how the Web helps Americans take better care of themselves. 2003;Pew Internet & American Life Project, November 26, Available at: http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Health_Report.pdf. Accessed March 3, 2006.
  7. Hesse BW, Nelson DE, Kreps GL, et al. Trust and sources of health information: the impact of the Internet and its implications for health care providers: findings from the First Health Information National Trends Survey. Arch Intern Med. 2005;165:2618–2624
  8. Fox S. Health information online: eight in ten internet users have looked for health information online, with increased interest in diet, fitness, drugs, health insurance, experimental treatments, and particular doctors and hospitals. 2005;Pew Internet & American Life Project, May 17, Available at http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Healthtopics_May05.pdf. Accessed January 4, 2006.
  9. Fox S, Rainie L. Vital decisions: how Internet users decide what information to trust when they or their loved ones are sick. 2002;Pew Internet & American Life Project, May 22, Available at: http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Vital_Decisions_May2002.pdf. Accessed March 3, 2006.
  10. Fox S, Fallows D. Internet health resources: health searches and email have become more commonplace, but there is room for improvement in searches and overall Internet access. 2003;Pew Internet & American Life Project, July 16, Available at: http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Health_Report_July_2003.pdf. Accessed March 3, 2006.
  11. Robinson KM. Unsolicited narratives from the Internet: a rich source of qualitative data. Qual Health Res. 2001;11:706–714
  12. Esquivel A, Meric-Bernstam F, Bernstam EV. Accuracy and self correction of information received from an internet breast cancer list: content analysis. BMJ. 2006;332:939–942
  13. Sullivan D. Nielsen NetRatings search engine ratings. Available at: http://searchenginewatch.com/reports/article.php/2156451. Accessed March 27, 2006.
  14. Sim J, Wright CC. The Kappa statistic in reliability studies: use, interpretation, and sample size requirements. Phys Ther. 2005;85:257–268
  15. Byrt T, Bishop J, Carlin JB. Bias, prevalence and kappa. J Clin Epidemiol. 1993;46:423–429
  16. Cohen J, Cohen P. Applied Multiple Regression/Correlation Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. Second ed.. Hillsdale, NJ: L. Erlbaum Associates; 1983;
  17. Fox NJ, Ward KJ, O’Rourke AJ. The ‘expert patient’: empowerment or medical dominance? (The case of weight loss, pharmaceutical drugs and the Internet). Soc Sci Med. 2005;60:1299–1309
  18. Fox N, Ward K, O’Rourke A. Pro-anorexia, weight-loss drugs and the internet: an ‘anti-recovery’ explanatory model of anorexia. Sociol Health Illn. 2005;27:944–971
  19. Khan LK, Serdula MK, Bowman BA, Williamson DF. Use of prescription weight loss pills among U.S. adults in 1996-1998. Ann Intern Med. 2001;134:282–286
  20. Barrera M, Glasgow RE, McKay HG, et al. Do Internet-based support interventions change perceptions of social support? (An experimental trial of approaches for supporting diabetes self-management). Am J Community Psychol. 2002;30:637–654
  21. Verheijden MW, Bakx JC, van Weel C, et al. Role of social support in lifestyle-focused weight management interventions. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2005;59(S1):S179–S186
  22. Elfhag K, Rossner S. Who succeeds in maintaining weight loss? (A conceptual review of factors associated with weight loss maintenance and weight regain). Obes Rev. 2005;6:67–85
  23. Eysenbach G, Powell J, Englesakis M, et al. Health related virtual communities and electronic support groups: systematic review of the effects of online peer to peer interactions. BMJ. 2004;328:1166

 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