Young People's Attitudes and Motivations Toward Social Media and Mobile Apps for Weight Control: Mixed Methods Study.

Background: Effective prevention at a young enough age is critical to halt the obesity epidemic. Mobile health (mHealth) apps would potentially reach large numbers at low-cost. While there is already a profusion of lifestyle apps, they are mostly non-evidence-based and evidently ineffective against rising obesity prevalence.

Accuracy of on-line self-reported weights and heights by young adults.

Background: e-epidemiology, a convenient and low-cost research method, is becoming increasingly popular. This study seeks to validate on-line self-reported heights and weights against objectively measured data in young adults.

Methods: Young adults self-reported heights and weights in an on-line lifestyle survey.

Nutritional adequacy of meals from an independent catering facility versus chain restaurants for young adults.

Background: Eating out of home has been associated with the increasing prevalence of obesity. While some chain restaurants provide nutritional information for their products, smaller independent catering facilities may not provide such information. The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional adequacy of meals provided to young adults at an independent catering facility and compare them with meals provided by chain restaurants.

Elearning approaches to prevent weight gain in young adults: A randomized controlled study.

Objective: Preventing obesity among young adults should be a preferred public health approach given the limited efficacy of treatment interventions. This study examined whether weight gain can be prevented by online approaches using two different behavioral models, one overtly directed at obesity and the other covertly.

Methods: A three-group parallel randomized controlled intervention was conducted in 2012-2013; 20,975 young adults were allocated a priori to one control and two "treatment" groups.

Preventing weight gain with calorie-labeling.

Objective: Calorie-labeling has been suggested as an anti-obesity measure but there is no evidence for its effect, to date. Early adulthood is a critical life-cycle period for unwanted weight gain and obesity development. This study examined whether providing calorie information would help young adults to avoid weight gain.