Five Ways to Surf Health & Fitness Sites Safely

By:
Liz Neporent

Is the Internet a great way to get health and fitness information, or is it a vast sea of misleading, useless -- even dangerous -- data? That depends. If you navigate wisely you can gather a great deal of cutting-edge knowledge that you won't find in books, magazines or newspapers. On the other hand, if you're not careful you might get sold the electronic equivalent of the Brooklyn Bridge.

So how do you know what to trust and what to trash? As usual, iVillage comes through with some sensible guidelines for finding reliable fitness facts on the web.

E-valuate e-commerce. Although the ''e'' in e-commerce does not stand for evil, you do need to assess e-business carefully. Does the site exist exclusively to sell, sell, sell? Are the articles and FAQs thinly disguised advertisements? Is the information presented completely biased in favor of whatever products are being sold? Responsible e-commerce is no different from responsible advertisements you see in magazines and in stores, but should not be the sole driver of site content.

E-valuate experts. Who is writing the articles you find on the site? What are their credentials? Are they experts in their fields, or have they taken the time to interview and quote respected and trusted authorities? Make it your business to learn about the credentials, education and experience of information providers. Don't assume that just because someone has a slick Website they know what they're talking about.

E-valuate promises. The old adage ''if it sounds too good to be true it probably is'' applies a thousandfold when it comes to the Internet. Beware of sites that promise things like instant weight loss, quick cures and amazing results. These things weren't possible before the Internet came along, and believe me when I tell you they're still not possible.

E-valuate the source. Look at the site address. If it ends in .org, that means it's hosted by a not-for-profit organization. If it ends in .edu, that means it's hosted by an educational organization like a university or college. And if it ends in .gov, that means it's hosted by a government agency. That doesn't mean you should discount all .com's; after all, iVillage does its best to present you with accurate and honest information from top experts. But when you're researching a topic, particularly an illness or some other serious health issue, it's good to survey a wide range of sources, including those that exist solely to provide the latest updates on research and science.

E-valuate security. Unless you want to be bombarded with electronic -- and ''snail'' -- junk mail, be selective about giving out your vital statistics over the Web. Although you can get some valuable information when you sign up for monthly e-newsletters and emailed tips of the day, you don't want to wind up on every mailing list on the planet. Reputable sites will not sell your information to other sources and will have a statement to that affect prominently posted. If you're buying over the net, make sure the site has a secure server to protect your credit card information.

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