The obesity epidemic is heightening chronic disease risk globally. Online weight management (OWM) communities could potentially promote weight loss among large numbers of people at low cost. Because little is known about the impact of these online communities, we examined the relationship between individual and social network variables, and weight loss in a large, international OWM programme. We studied the online activity and weight change of 22 419 members of an OWM system during a six-month period, focusing especially on the 2033 members with at least one friend within the community. Using Heckman's sample-selection procedure to account for potential selection bias and data censoring, we found that initial body mass index, adherence to self-monitoring and social networking were significantly correlated with weight loss. Remarkably, greater embeddedness in the network was the variable with the highest statistical significance in our model for weight loss. Average per cent weight loss at six months increased in a graded manner from 4.1% for non-networked members, to 5.2% for those with a few (two to nine) friends, to 6.8% for those connected to the giant component of the network, to 8.3% for those with high social embeddedness. Social networking within an OWM community, and particularly when highly embedded, may offer a potent, scalable way to curb the obesity epidemic and other disorders that could benefit from behavioural changes.
机构:
East Carolina Univ, Dept Psychol, Greenville, NC USAUniv Connecticut, Dept Allied Hlth Sci, Storrs, CT 06269 USA
Whited, Matthew C.
Appelhans, Bradley M.
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Rush Univ, Dept Prevent Med, Chicago, IL 60612 USAUniv Connecticut, Dept Allied Hlth Sci, Storrs, CT 06269 USA
Appelhans, Bradley M.
Busch, Andrew
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Brown Univ, Alpert Med Sch, Ctr Behav & Prevent Med, Dept Psychiat & Human Behav, Providence, RI 02912 USA
Brown Univ, Miriam Hosp, Alpert Med Sch, Ctr Behav & Prevent Med, Providence, RI USAUniv Connecticut, Dept Allied Hlth Sci, Storrs, CT 06269 USA
机构:
Brown Univ, Miriam Hosp, Dept Psychiat & Human Behav, Warren Alpert Med Sch,Weight Control & Diabet Res, 196 Richmond St, Providence, RI 02903 USABrown Univ, Miriam Hosp, Dept Psychiat & Human Behav, Warren Alpert Med Sch,Weight Control & Diabet Res, 196 Richmond St, Providence, RI 02903 USA
Thomas, John Graham
Goldstein, Carly M.
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Brown Univ, Miriam Hosp, Dept Psychiat & Human Behav, Warren Alpert Med Sch,Weight Control & Diabet Res, 196 Richmond St, Providence, RI 02903 USABrown Univ, Miriam Hosp, Dept Psychiat & Human Behav, Warren Alpert Med Sch,Weight Control & Diabet Res, 196 Richmond St, Providence, RI 02903 USA
Goldstein, Carly M.
Bond, Dale S.
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Brown Univ, Miriam Hosp, Dept Psychiat & Human Behav, Warren Alpert Med Sch,Weight Control & Diabet Res, 196 Richmond St, Providence, RI 02903 USABrown Univ, Miriam Hosp, Dept Psychiat & Human Behav, Warren Alpert Med Sch,Weight Control & Diabet Res, 196 Richmond St, Providence, RI 02903 USA
Bond, Dale S.
Hadley, Wendy
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Univ Oregon, Coll Educ, Eugene, OR 97403 USABrown Univ, Miriam Hosp, Dept Psychiat & Human Behav, Warren Alpert Med Sch,Weight Control & Diabet Res, 196 Richmond St, Providence, RI 02903 USA
Hadley, Wendy
Tuerk, Peter W.
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Virtually Better Inc, Decatur, GA USA
Univ Virginia, Dept Human Serv, Sheila C Johnson Ctr Clin Serv, Charlottesville, VA USABrown Univ, Miriam Hosp, Dept Psychiat & Human Behav, Warren Alpert Med Sch,Weight Control & Diabet Res, 196 Richmond St, Providence, RI 02903 USA