Online Weight Loss Support Forums Help Dieters Keep Up Their Spirits

A Norwegian researcher who studied the diary of an online weight loss forum has determined that participants who are active in such groups, actually “confessing” to their diet failures, receive a form of “forgiveness” from other forum participants. In other words, the “self-blaming posts elicited absolutional replies.” The encouraging replies to reports of “challenges, problems and failures” seem to make the long and stressful road to shedding pounds a little easier to follow. In many cases, a dieter’s confessional post elicits a large number of responses because users support each other, and hope to get support when they need it. Researcher Ingeborg Grønning says: “Losing weight is a long process, you have to work hard and persistently to succeed. Encouragement from others helps keep spirits up.” [ Image credit: © BreakingMuscle.com ]