Data shows that people increasingly are turning to the internet for help in achieving their New Year's resolutions.

As the New Year brings renewed determination to take action and make positive changes in one’s life, people are increasingly turning to the internet for help in researching a new plan of action. Health and fitness goals typically rank atop most people’s lists of New Years resolutions, a belief confirmed by the notable increase to Health / Information sites in the first week of 2006.

• For the week ending January 8, 2006 traffic to sites in the Health / Information category increased 16 percent overall to 21.2 million visitors.
  
  
• WebMD, the top online Health Information resource, grew 11 percent over the previous week, to 3.9 million visitors.
  
  
• Behind the strength of a major New Years marketing and advertising blitz, traffic to Weight Watchers International rose 45 percent, to 2.1 million visitors. During the same time frame, eDiets.com, the only site among the leaders focused exclusively as a dieting resource, achieved 25 percent growth to 1.9 million visitors.
  
  
• While some people focus purely on getting in shape, visitation to other Health / Information sites suggests that many have a more holistic approach to improving their health, as demonstrated by the increase in traffic to Yahoo! Health (up 67 percent to 1.9 million visitors).

A demographic analysis of visitors to Health / Information sites revealed that visitors are more likely to be female, and those with a household income of at least $75,000.

• In December 2005, females were 10 percent more likely to visit Health / Information sites. Further, females age 35 to 49 were 25 percent more likely to visit these sites, while females age 50+ were 26 percent more likely to do so.
  
  
• People in households earning between $75,000 and $100,000 were five percent more likely than average to visit a Health -- Information site, while those in households making over $100,000 were 20 percent more likely.

* Composition Index represents the proportion of the given group within a specific site audience, compared to the proportion of that group in the total online population.
A composition index of 100 represents parity.

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comScore Networks provides unparalleled insight into consumer behavior and attitudes. This capability is based on a massive, global cross-section of more than two million consumers who have given comScore explicit permission to confidentially capture their browsing and transaction behavior, including online and offline purchasing. comScore panelists also participate in survey research that captures and integrates their attitudes and intentions. Through its patent-pending technology, comScore measures what matters across a broad spectrum of behavior and attitudes. comScore consultants apply this deep knowledge of customers and competitors to help clients design powerful marketing strategies and tactics that deliver superior ROI. comScore services are used by global leaders such as AOL, Yahoo!, Verizon, Best Buy, The Newspaper Association of America, Tribune Interactive, ESPN, Nestlé, Bank of America, Universal McCann, the United States Postal Service, GlaxoSmithKline and Orbitz.