How social media can help people lose weight

"Our research finds that individuals are more likely to realize success with personal goals when they make a public commitment to attaining them," said Tonya Williams Bradford, study co-author and assistant professor of marketing at UCI's Paul Merage School of Business. "By sharing success and setbacks in virtual support communities on social media, we found people are achieving better results. This works especially well with goals like weight loss, where before and after images can be shared online with other community members."

Along with Bradford, the study was co-authored by Sonya Grier from American University and Geraldine R. Henderson from Loyola University Chicago, and is published in the Journal of Interactive Marketing. The research follows two weight loss groups, surgical and non-surgical, over a four-year period. Members of both weight loss groups utilized virtual support communities, like ObesityHelp.com and WeightWatchers.com, as part of their programs.

"Through our research we found public commitment, which is a declaration of a position, increases the likelihood of compliance to a course of action and is a key part of a successful weight loss plan," Bradford said. "When people seeking to lose weight join a virtual support community and share their plans online to attain their goals, they invite members to join them by offering encouragement in both words and actions. This exchange of online support facilitates adherence to the offline goal of losing weight. Public accountability is key."

The study also found that virtual support communities offer a unique environment that allows members relative anonymity, accessibility, availability and flexibility in how they represent themselves on their journeys. According to Bradford, it is the process of building community, and the co-creation of related outcomes that helps in keeping participants motivated and accountable.