May, Christine N.Waring, Molly E.Rodrigues, StephanieOleski, Jessica L.Olendzki, EffieEvans, Martinus M.Carey, JenniferPagoto, Sherry L.2022-08-232022-08-232017-03-012017-03-29Transl Behav Med. 2017 Mar;7(1):84-91. doi: 10.1007/s13142-016-0429-1. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s13142-016-0429-1">Link to article on publisher's site</a>1613-9860 (Linking)10.1007/s13142-016-0429-127443643https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14038/46216People seek weight loss support on online social networks, but little is known about how to build a supportive community. We created four Twitter accounts portraying women interested in weight loss (two obese, two normal weight/overweight) and followed health care professional and peer accounts for 2-5 weeks. We examined follow back rates, interactions, and organic follows from professionals and peers by weight status. Follow back rates did not differ by weight status when following professionals (6.8 % normal weight/overweight vs 11.0 % for obese; p = 0.4167) or peers (6.7 % for normal weight/overweight vs 10.8 % for obese; p = 0.1548). Number of interactions and organic followers also did not differ by weight status. Peers interacted with study accounts significantly more than professionals (p = 0.0138), but interactions were infrequent. Women seeking weight loss support on Twitter may need to be present for more than 5 weeks to build an interactive weight loss community.en-USUMCCTS fundingObesityPeer-to-peer healthcareSocial mediaTwitterBehavior and Behavior MechanismsHealth CommunicationHealth Information TechnologyMental and Social HealthPsychiatryPsychiatry and PsychologySocial MediaSocial Psychology and InteractionTranslational Medical ResearchJournal Articlehttps://escholarship.umassmed.edu/psych_pp/7519942005psych_pp/751