Websites
URL: http://www.kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/dieting/obesity.html
Description:
KidsHealth.com is an outstanding website created by The Nemours Foundation. The website provides doctor approved information on a number of health related topics through articles, games and animations. There are three separate areas for kids, teens, and parents with information that is age appropriate. Before information is published on KidHealth, it is reviewed by a team of health professionals and then re-reviewed every 1 to 3 years.
KidsHealth is an example of a quality website that students should be using to gather information. KidsHealth is appealing to children without flashy images, advertisements, or links to unprofessional organization. This page will be used during day 1 of this lesson when the students are learning how to evaluate websites.
Title: Anne Collins
URL: http://www.annecollins.com/child-obesity-causes.htm
Description:
Anncollins.com claims to be a nutritionist with 23 years of experience, who has created this website to help people lose weight. The website provides a wealth of free information about obesity, weight and health, but a person must pay $19.95 to get her expert advice. There is no indication of where this information comes from or how often it is updated.
Anncollins.com is an example of a poor website that students should be weary of using when collecting information since the source of the information is from a person who is selling a product. This page will be used during day 1 of this lesson when the students are learning to evaluate website.
Title: About.com
URL: http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/nutrition/a/blame_obesity.htm
Description:
About.com was acquired by The New York Times Company in 2005 and describes its self as offering “practical advice and solutions for every day life”. Advice is provided by guides, experts in their field, which go under an extensive selection process before hired by About.com.
About.com is an example of a good website for students to use when collecting information. Although there is a significant amount of advertisement on About.com, they state that they do not let their advertisers influence the information they provide. Furthermore, the information is provided by experts, who’s names and credentials are available to the user.
Title: Family Management
URL: http://www.familymanagement.com/facts/english/overweight_children.html
Description:
Familymanagement.com is a “resource guide or information and services for all families”. There is no further information about the organization that publishes the site, the mission or goals of the site. The website has a plethora of information including cooking, financial, travel and health.
This website is an example of a poor website; however, if the students know what to look for, the website could lead to a quality website to gather information. Familymanagement.com lacks a professional appearance and has links to sites that sell crafts and items such as those “As Seen on TV”. The information found on familymanagement.com pertaining to obesity is actually borrowed with permission from AACAP.org. The information is good information, however the students should use it from the AACAP.org website.
Title: Consumer Affairs
URL: http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2005/obesity_beverages.html
Description:
According to their Terms of Use, Consumeraffairs.com provides its user with access to a variety of resources, including consumer news, recall information, consumer comments and complaints, self-help tools and directories of resources provided by other parties.
This website is an example of a poor website from which to gather information. Consumeraffairs.com looks professional, but is loaded with advertisements, which they admit is how their site is supported. The article on Teen Obesity was published in 2005, but there is no indication of the author and their background on medical expertise.
Title: WebMD
URL: http://www.webmd.com/content/article/124/115833.htm
Description:
WebMD.com mission is to provide medical information to the public. Experts in medicine, journalism and health communication produce the content on WebMD.com.
WebMD.com is an example of and excellent website. It is presented professionally and is easy to use. WebMD will allow advertisements, although not many will be noticed, but the advertisers have to uphold strong standards. Each article has the name of the author and the reviewer and the user can read a biography about both. WebMd.com is a URAC accredited website.
Additional Website:
http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/keystrategies/why-schools.htm
http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/o/obesity/intro.htm
http://www.lpch.org/diseaseHealthInfo/healthLibrary/adolescent/obesity.html
http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/notes/summerfall03notes/obesityaffects.htm
http://www.obesityaction.org/aboutobesity/childhood.php