Online health information on obesity in pregnancy: a systematic review.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the quality of health information available online for healthcare users on obesity in pregnancy and evaluate the role of the internet as an effective medium to advocate a healthy lifestyle in pregnancy.


METHODS
We used the poly-search engine Polymeta and complimented the results with Google searches (till July 2015) to identify relevant websites. All open access websites in English providing advice on the risks and management of obesity in pregnancy. Two independent reviewers assessed the quality of information provided in each of the included websites for credibility, accuracy, readability, content quality and technology. We compared websites 'quality according to their target population, health topic and source of funding'.


RESULTS
Fifty-three websites were included. A third of websites were focused on obesity in pregnancy and two thirds targeted healthcare users. The median value for the overall credibility was 5/9, 7/12 for accuracy, 57.6/100 for readability, 45/80 for content quality and 75/100 for technology. Obesity specific websites provided lower credibility compared to general health websites (p=0.008). Websites targeting health users were easier to read (p=0.001). Non-governmental funded websites demonstrated higher content quality (p=0.005). Websites that are obesity focused, targeting health users and funded by non-governmental bodies demonstrated higher composite quality scores (p=0.048).


CONCLUSIONS
Online information on obesity in pregnancy is varied. Governmental bodies in particular need to invest more efforts to improve the quality of online health information.
Women's Health Research Unit, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University London, London, UK. Electronic address: b.wattar@qmul.ac.uk.
Bassel H
BH
Al Wattar
Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
Connie
C
Pidgeon
Barts Health NHS Trust, London, UK.
Hazel
H
Learner
Women's Health Research Unit, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University London, London, UK; Clinical Biostatistics Unit, Ramon y Cajal Hospital (IRYCIS) and CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health, Madrid, Spain.
Javier
J
Zamora
Women's Health Research Unit, Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University London, London, UK; Multidisciplinary Evidence Synthesis Hub (mEsh), Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
Shakila
S
Thangaratinam
D054626:Consumer Health Information / Q000592:standards*; D019468:Disease Management; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D009765:Obesity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications
Internet; Obesity; Online; Patient; Pregnancy; Review