Benjamin Bloom1, Ambereen K Mehta2, Jeanne M Clark3,4,5, Kimberly A Gudzune3,4. 1. University of Maryland Medical School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. 2. Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. 3. Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. 4. Welch Center for Prevention, Epidemiology, and Clinical Research, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. 5. Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine the reliability of Internet-based information on community-based weight-loss programs and grade their degree of concordance with 2013 American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology, and The Obesity Society weight-management guidelines. METHODS: An online search was conducted for weight-loss programs in the Maryland-Washington, DC-Virginia corridor. Content analysis was performed to abstract program components from their websites, and then 80 programs were randomly selected for a telephone survey to verify this information. Reliability of Internet information was determined in comparison with telephone interview responses. RESULTS: Of the 191 programs, 1% were graded as high, 8% as moderate, and 91% as low with respect to guideline concordance based on website content. Fifty-two programs participated in the telephone survey (65% response rate). Program intensity, diet, physical activity, and use of behavioral strategies were underreported on websites as compared to description of these activities during the phone interview. Within the subsample, 6% of programs were graded as high based on website information, whereas 19% were graded as high after the telephone interview. CONCLUSIONS: Most weight-loss programs in an urban, mid-Atlantic region do not currently offer guideline-concordant practices and fail to disclose key information online, which may make clinician referrals challenging.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the reliability of Internet-based information on community-based weight-loss programs and grade their degree of concordance with 2013 American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology, and The Obesity Society weight-management guidelines. METHODS: An online search was conducted for weight-loss programs in the Maryland-Washington, DC-Virginia corridor. Content analysis was performed to abstract program components from their websites, and then 80 programs were randomly selected for a telephone survey to verify this information. Reliability of Internet information was determined in comparison with telephone interview responses. RESULTS: Of the 191 programs, 1% were graded as high, 8% as moderate, and 91% as low with respect to guideline concordance based on website content. Fifty-two programs participated in the telephone survey (65% response rate). Program intensity, diet, physical activity, and use of behavioral strategies were underreported on websites as compared to description of these activities during the phone interview. Within the subsample, 6% of programs were graded as high based on website information, whereas 19% were graded as high after the telephone interview. CONCLUSIONS: Most weight-loss programs in an urban, mid-Atlantic region do not currently offer guideline-concordant practices and fail to disclose key information online, which may make clinician referrals challenging.
Authors: Lawrence J Appel; Catherine M Champagne; David W Harsha; Lawton S Cooper; Eva Obarzanek; Patricia J Elmer; Victor J Stevens; William M Vollmer; Pao-Hwa Lin; Laura P Svetkey; Sarah W Stedman; Deborah R Young Journal: JAMA Date: 2003 Apr 23-30 Impact factor: 56.272
Authors: William C Knowler; Sarah E Fowler; Richard F Hamman; Costas A Christophi; Heather J Hoffman; Anne T Brenneman; Janet O Brown-Friday; Ronald Goldberg; Elizabeth Venditti; David M Nathan Journal: Lancet Date: 2009-10-29 Impact factor: 79.321
Authors: Carolyn T Bramante; Grace Lee; Safira S Amsili; Jennifer A Linde; Sean M Phelan; Lawrence J Appel; Wendy L Bennett; Jeanne M Clark; Kimberly A Gudzune Journal: Clin Obes Date: 2020-05-07
Authors: Z W Chaudhry; R S Doshi; A K Mehta; D K Jacobs; R M Vakil; C J Lee; S N Bleich; R R Kalyani; J M Clark; K A Gudzune Journal: Obes Rev Date: 2016-05-26 Impact factor: 9.213
Authors: Rachit M Vakil; Ruchi S Doshi; Ambereen K Mehta; Zoobia W Chaudhry; David K Jacobs; Clare J Lee; Sara N Bleich; Jeanne M Clark; Kimberly A Gudzune Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2016-06-01 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: Rachit M Vakil; Zoobia W Chaudhry; Ruchi S Doshi; Jeanne M Clark; Kimberly A Gudzune Journal: Obesity (Silver Spring) Date: 2017-09-02 Impact factor: 5.002