Weight Loss Websites

There are a lot of websites out there these days that are designed to help people lose weight. Because of the abundance of information on the Internet, we have to be careful about determining which sites are more credible and provide sound nutrition information. I recently came across this article (click the link), which I found particularly helpful in providing a list of criteria for choosing more valid weight loss websites.

According to the article, we should look for the following criteria when determining whether a weight loss website is effective:

• The site should be interactive
• The site should provide access to goal setting and record keeping tools
• The site should provide support, where users can communicate with each other as well as with nutrition and exercise experts
• The site should encourage accountability, like email prompts or reminder phone calls
• The site should be personalized--it should provide tailored meal plans and workouts to meet individual needs
• The site should be trustworthy--it should provide clear, credible health information

Further in the article, a registered dietitian indicates 5 weight loss websites she feels are the most effective, including:

• CalorieKing
• Nutrihand
• SparkPeople
• Vtrim
• WeightWatchers

Links to these websites are provided in the article, so check them out and see what you think!

Rachel Cope MPH, RD, CD