July 01, 2005
Positive Outcome from SPAM
A steady diet of e-mails that promote healthy behavior can change a person's outlook and behavior regarding healthier eating and increased physical activity, says a new study from the University of Alberta, Centre for Health Promotion Studies
People who were frequently emailed about healthy eating and keeping active, tended to exercise and lose weight, according to the researchers at the University of Alberta.
For 12 weeks, Dr. Ron Plotnikoff and colleagues sent weekly e-mail reminders to some volunteers at five large Canadian workplaces who were taking part in a larger study about exercise and health. More than 1,600 completed the full study.
Writing in the American Journal of Health Promotion, Plotnikoff said those who received the e-mail reminders exercised more and knew more about the benefits than those who did not.
They also reduced their mean body mass index, or BMI, a measure of body fat based on height and weight.
Those who did not get the e-mails actually gained some weight over the three-month study.
Other studies by Dr. Plotnikoff
Posted by rsk at July 1, 2005 09:03 AM