by Barbara Berkeley, MD
Dear Readers,
I'm counting on your wisdom!
I am involved in a project to help in the design of an internet site for weight loss. Personally, I've always preferred personal counseling and support, but it's just not available to everyone and the internet has stepped in to serve an unmet need. The question is, does it do the job well?
Just as there are competent and incompetent weight loss counselors, there are internet resources that are both useful and useless. I need to find out what distinguishes the two.
If you have used internet programs to help with weight loss, would you be kind enough to give me some feedback? Here are some of the questions I'd like to have answered, but they are just jumping-off points. Feel free to provide information in any way you like.
Questions:
1. What makes a good internet site for weight loss?
2. What is NOT good about internet sites for weight loss.
3. Which features of internet sites are redundant and unimportant?
4. Do you use internet sites for education about weight issues? Or is most of what you read simply a rehash of what you've learned before?
5. Would you like a weight loss site that allowed you to partner with one or more dieters? Would you like the opportunity to enter into a weight loss competition via an internet site?
6. Do you like to use technological gadgets like Fit Bit that provide instant feedback and chart your progress?
7. Are support groups and chats on the internet important to you?
8. If you could design the perfect internet site for weight loss, what features would it have? Which features would you leave out?
9. Is there one glaring thing that is missing on internet support sites?
10. Have you ever learned anything about weight loss from an internet site? Did going to that site help you to achieve success? How?
11. Please name some of the sites that you like.
12. What is the primary thing you are looking for from an internet site? Is it education? Support? Peer conversation? Information like the ability to calculate calories? Feedback on your own progress through graphs, charts and rewards?
Thanks, dear readers, for any help you can give!!!
Dr. B.