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Guideline‐concordant weight‐loss programs in an urban area are uncommon and difficult to identify through the internet
Author(s) -
Bloom Benjamin,
Mehta Ambereen K.,
Clark Jeanne M.,
Gudzune Kimberly A.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
obesity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.438
H-Index - 199
eISSN - 1930-739X
pISSN - 1930-7381
DOI - 10.1002/oby.21403
Subject(s) - concordance , guideline , the internet , weight loss , medicine , phone , telephone interview , family medicine , obesity , computer science , world wide web , pathology , social science , linguistics , philosophy , sociology
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.