Assessment of Weight Loss Tools Available Online

Background: Obesity is common, serious, and costly. More than 1/3 of US adults (35.7%) are obese. Obesity related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. These are some of the leading causes of preventable death. In 2008, medical costs associated with obesity were estimated at $147 billion. The medical costs for people who are obese were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight. However, most people are unaware of weight loss aids that are available at their fingertips. Review objective: To evaluate online weight loss tools in order to create an education resource to best assist patients in their weight loss goals Methods: Evaluate ten free online weight loss tools using a point system to determine the quality of the tools. Yes or no questions will be answered about the tools\u27 features to determine overall quality. 1 point will be awarded for a yes answer, and 0 points will be awarded for a no answer. Various questions will include aspects of ease of use, nutrition content, exercise content, and social, motivational, and professional support. Significance: The goal of the review is to help assist patients in their weight loss goals. While there are many online tools available for patients to lose weight, it can be difficult deciding which one is best for the patient. By creating an educational resource about online weight loss tools, the patient will be able to choose the best tool for them based on the score for overall, ease of use, nutrition content, exercise content, or social, motivational, and professional support