Social Media for Obesity Education: A General Overview for the Novice Creator

Rates of obesity continue to rise in the United States and across the globe. Obesity is a risk factor for developing insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. For clinicians, other health care providers, and educators, providing patients with accurate and meaningful information about obesity, including lifestyle (diet and exercise) interventions and symptom monitoring, is challenging because of infrequent contact, methods of communication, a lack of effective patient education resources, and inefficient patient feedback methods. Evidence suggests that significantly more patients are now getting their health care information online from general medical websites, disease-specific network communities, and social media. Thus, harnessing the power of technologies, including personal computers and smartphones, with attention to social media may equip health care providers with methods to serve their patients better by addressing challenges, improving indirect patient contact, and enhancing health outcomes. This article aims to provide an overview of technology with a focus on social media use in obesity education and outreach. Practical information is provided related to creating content, delivering content, and managing the social media space for the novice creator.