Evaluation of Print and Non Print Material (EoM)

Project Task 1: Risk Project Topic: Healthy ways to lose weight Title/Author of Article: Prof Arne Astrup and Dr Carl Brandt Source Acknowledgement: Netdoctor last updated 18/12/2009
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/loseweight.htm

This article gives a general overview on how to lose weight effectively and healthily from a few aspects such as reducing your own calorie intake and increasing our own physical activity. This is largely relevant to our project of integrating personal involvement in losing weight through a game as it emphasizes the need for people to take charge of their own diet and excercising more in order to lose weight. Having shown how to lose wealth healthily through various aspects, this article thus justifies our stand in using it as it actually helps to guide risk taking of people losing weight so that they do not harm their health in the process of doing so. Netdoctor.co.uk is a website written and edited by over 250 UKs and Europes leading doctors and health professionals with the aim with the aim of presenting critical medical information to patients and ultimately helping patients make the right health choices. All of Netdoctor content published are mostly given and reviewed by medically trained/ health professionals proving the credibility of the website. Sadly, little information regarding the person (Dr John Pillinger) who reviewed the article was given other than him being a general practitioner in Dorset and one of the contributing writers of Netdoctor. Having known little about this person, the article might be unreliable since background of John Pillinger is unclear. However this article was based on a text by Prof Arne Astrup and Dr Carl Brandt. Considering Arne Astrup background of being a consultant for nutrition and having numerous Honorary appointments such as,Chairman of the Danish Nutrition Council 19922003. Furthermore he has won several awards in his research such as Servier's Award for Outstanding Obesity Research, 1990. Danish Society for Internal Medicine Annual Award, 2nd prize, 1991. Dr Carl Brant , on the other hand is one of the key medical panel behind NetDoctor. A combined text by these two distinct medical professionals should therefore attain a high degree of accuracy and is reviewed by another general Practitioner before it can be published on Netdoctor. Furthermore, this article is able to quote relevant and

correct information as well as provide tips on how to lose weight which could be supported by U.S National Institue of Health1 and Singapores Health promotion Board2. This shows that the source is current for our research needs and also adds to the accuracy of the article. In addition, this article started off with clear objectives which zooms in and goes directly to the point on how to lose weight healthily through various aspects like increasing activity levels, reducing calorie intake, writing down on action plan and being patient throughout the plan. Moreover, the author gave numerous examples on how to apply the knowledge gain such as replacing fizzy drinks and fruit cordials with water in reducing calorie intake. The Content presented in the article are also substantiated with logical medical explanations thus reinforcing the credibility of the source. Also, the author introduced the concept of celebrating upon losing some weight, which leaves us the idea of integrating small rewards into the game. Perhaps better game avatars could be given to the people playing the game upon them losing some weight or encouragements could pop up in their game to motivate them even more to continue losing weight healthily. Since motivation is a key hurdle in losing weight in most cases, this could be a plus point in our game as it inspires people to lose weight healthily.

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http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/ http://www.hpb.gov.sg/healthyliving/article.aspx?id=8808