Can e-mail help you stay healthy?

Health E-mails

If it’s the right kind of e-mail, maybe so.

In a study of more than 1,600 subjects, those who received e-mails that discussed the benefits of exercise and good nutrition tended to exercise more and had greater knowledge about health issues than those who did not receive the e-mails.

Health e-mails were sent out to half the test subjects every week for three months.

Canadian researchers report that the e-mail group also reduced their body mass index, while the non-e-mail group actually gained some weight on average.

So can your health improve just by reading the HSI e-Alert when it pops up in your e-mail inbox every day? I can’t make such a claim (or FDA attorneys will come knocking on my door). But just in case, make sure you keep reading. And, as always, feel free to invite your friends and family to enjoy this new brand of “medicine.”

Sources:
“Efficacy of an E-mail Intervention for the Promotion of Physical Activity and Nutrition Behavior in the Workplace Context” The American Journal of Health Promotion, July/August 2005, healthpromotionjournal.com
“Spam Can Help Prod People to Better Health – Study” Reuters Health, 6/30/05, reutershealth.com