Say you wanted to start eating better, or maybe begin a running program. What kind of blog would best help you reach your goal? One that offered step-by-step instruction and clear advice? Or one that told personal stories on the topic? Would it matter if the blogger was like you—if he or she were a morning runner, like you planned to be? Or if you both enjoyed the same type of movies, for example?
Researchers at Northwestern University in Illinois explored these question in a new study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. They surveyed 222 undergraduate students, both men and women, asking them to indicate which health behavior they were most interested in pursuing: yoga, running, or eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Eight-three percent said they wanted to start running, so the researchers tailored the study accordingly, working with professional writers and psychologists to create running-related blog posts.
