title: Tweeting it off: characteristics of adults who tweet about a weight loss attempt.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to describe adults who use Twitter during a weight loss attempt and to compare the positive and negative social influences they experience from their offline friends, online friends, and family members.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (N=100, 80% female, mean age=37.65, SD=8.42) were recruited from Twitter. They completed a brief survey about their experiences discussing their weight loss attempt with their online and offline friends and provided responses to open-ended questions on the benefits and drawbacks of discussing weight on Twitter, Facebook, and weight-specific social networks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants rated their connections on Twitter and weight loss-specific social networks to be significantly greater sources of positive social influence for their weight loss (F(3)=3.47; p<0.001) and significantly lesser sources of negative social influence (F(3)=40.39 and F(3)=33.68 (both p<0.001)) than their offline friends, family, and Facebook friends. Greater positive social influence from Twitter and Facebook friends was associated with greater weight loss in participants' most recent weight loss attempt (r=0.30, r=0.32; p<0.01). The most commonly reported benefits of tweeting about weight loss include social support, information, and accountability. The most common drawbacks reported are that interactions were too brief and lacked personal connection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  People who discuss their weight loss on Twitter report more social support and less negativity from their Twitter friends than their Facebook friends and in-person relationships.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Online social networks should be explored as a tool for connecting patients who lack weight loss social support from their in-person relationships.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Sherry
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pagoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Kristin L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Martinus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Molly E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Waring
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Rush University, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
authors.forename: Brad
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Appelhans
authors.affiliation: Alpert Medical School of Brown University and The Miriam Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Busch
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Whited
authors.affiliation: Alpert Medical School of Brown University and The Miriam Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
authors.forename: Herpreet
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Thind
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ziedonis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D061108:Social Media; D060756:Social Networking; D012944:Social Support; D015431:Weight Loss
keywords: Twitter; obesity; social media; social networks; weight loss