Are you frustrated by how difficult it is to find quality health information on nutrition, fitness or managing weight? Are you confused about which sites you can trust?

Here are some guidelines to help you in this process, followed by a few reputable websites where you may find exactly what you're looking for.

WHO IS THE SPONSOR OF THE SITE?
As a rule, government and university-run sites are great sources - they provide science-based health and medical information.

WHO WRITES THE INFORMATION?
It's a mistake to assume that every author has the appropriate educational background or credentials to write the health information you find. Search for a biography of the author or a listing of the names and credentials of people who have prepared and reviewed the site's articles.

WHAT OTHER HEALTH LINKS ARE PROVIDED?
Does the site encourage you to link to other reputable health information sites? Sites that are not trying to market a product or sway you to believe in only their information, will often encourage you to visit other sites with further health information.

CHECK THE DATE
Is the information current? Be sure to check the date that the site was last updated - this information is often found at the bottom of the page. Information that is updated at least monthly can be considered "up to date."

IS THE SITE FREE?
Most reputable sites offer their services for free. Be cautious of sites that charge a fee. Double check what you will be receiving for this fee, and be sure that you check the tips listed above before you submit payment.

HERE ARE SOME REPUTABLE SITES THAT INCLUDE HEALTH AND MEDICAL INFORMATION AROUND NUTRITION, FITNESS, WEIGHT MANAGEMENT AND OTHER HEALTH ISSUES:

http://navigator.tufts.edu/

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/
obesity/lose_wt/patmats.htm

http://fitness.gov/activelife/activelife.html

http://www.medlineplus.gov

Happy and Healthy Searching!!

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