INFORMATION-SOURCES OF US ADULTS TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT

This study attempted to determine whether dieters differ from nondiete rs in how and where they obtain nutrition and health information and w hether choice of weight-loss practices is related to use of different information sources. A national telephone survey of a probability samp le of 1649 adults provided detailed information on the weight-loss pra ctices of 1431 dieters and comparable background information on 218 no ndieters. Dieters were more active readers of nutrition information th an were nondieters. However, their choices about type of regimen and a bout specific products and services were more heavily dependent on wor d of mouth, commercial sources, and physicians than on written informa tion. Dieters relying on written materials were more likely to engage in healthy weight-loss regimens and less likely to engage in questiona ble weight-loss practices than were those relying on other sources. Th e pattern of information-seeking behavior observed for dieters, which indicated seater motivation to seek out written information but relian ce on oral sources to inform them of specific weight-loss practices, s uggests that if authoritative written information about specific weigh t-loss practices was available, it would be used and would likely be e ffective.