E-mail spam good for you

A steady diet of e-mails that promote healthy behavior can change a person's outlook and behavior regarding healthier eating and increased physical activity, says a new study from the University of Alberta.

The 12 week study of 2,598 Canadian workers will be published in the July/August 2005 edition of the American Journal of Health Promotion.

People receiving the e-mails showed an increase in physical activity levels and also had more confidence in being able to participate in physical activity at the study's end. They also recognized more pros and fewer cons to physical actiivty and were more open to making dietary changes.

Further, those receiving e-mails actually reduced their mean body mass index (BMI), a measure of body fat based on height and weight, over the course of the study. By contrast, the mean BMI of the control group (people who did not receive the e-mails) slightly increased during the study period.