What is WIN?

The Weight-control Information Network provides the general public, health professionals, and the media with up-to-date, science-based health information on weight control, obesity, physical activity, and related nutritional issues. WIN is a congressionally authorized service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), which is the Federal Government's leading agency for biomedical research on nutrition and obesity and part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

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Can WIN provide answers to my specific medical questions?

WIN cannot provide a diagnosis or medical advice. A health care provider who has examined you and knows your medical history is the best person to diagnose and treat your health problem.

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Can a WIN official come talk to my group/organization about weight control, obesity, nutrition, and/or physical activity?

NIH offers a service to groups through the Office of Science Education's LifeWorks Speakers Bureau, a web-based service that connects NIH scientists, clinicians, and other professionals to school teachers and other community members. To find and request a speaker by expertise, visit http://www.science.education.nih.gov/LifeWorksSpeakersBureau.nsf/Home.xsp.

For guidance on the topics of weight control, obesity, and nutrition, you may want to contact the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (formerly the American Dietetic Association) at 1–800–877–1600 or visit their website at http://www.eatright.org . The "Find a Registered Dietitian" tool on this website may help you find a potential speaker.

For guidance on the topic of physical activity, you may want to contact the American College of Sports Medicine at 317–637–9200 or visit the organization's website at http://www.acsm.org .

For additional speaking engagement resources on physical activity and nutrition, you may also reach the President's Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition (PCFSN) at 240–276–9567 or visit http://wcdapps.hhs.gov/FitnessGovSpeakingRequest. PCFSN engages, educates, and empowers all Americans across the life span to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes regular physical activity and good nutrition.

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How can I stay up-to-date on information from WIN and NIDDK?

You can subscribe to and read our WIN Notes newsletter, which features the latest information from the NIDDK and other organizations that focus on obesity, weight control, and weight-related nutritional disorders. WIN Notes includes recent research on these topics; lists new print and web resources from various organizations; and reports on the activities of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the NIDDK, and other NIH Institutes, Centers, and initiatives.

The current edition of WIN Notes is available at http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov. Archived copies of WIN Notes are available on the WIN Notes page: http://win.niddk.nih.gov/notes.

WIN Notes has transitioned from hard copy to electronic format only. If you already receive WIN Notes by email, you do not need to do anything. If you had received WIN Notes by U.S. mail in the past, please visit https://service.govdelivery.com/service/multi_subscribe.html?code=USNIDDK , enter your email address, and select "WIN Notes" under the bolded heading "Weight Control and Nutrition" on the subscription page. You will receive an email confirming your subscription.

More information about NIDDK and its activities is available at: http://www.niddk.nih.gov.

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What is Sisters Together: Move More, Eat Better?

Sisters Together: Move More, Eat Better http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/sisters is a national initiative of WIN designed to encourage black women to maintain a healthy weight by becoming more physically active and eating healthier foods.

Sisters Together offers a program guide and culturally relevant brochures that give black women, their families, and their friends practical, science-based tips to help them move more, eat better, and ultimately, improve their quality of life.

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How can I start a Sisters Together program?

You can start a Sisters Together program by following the steps in the Sisters Together Program Guide. Sisters Together programs are run locally by dedicated individuals or groups—anyone who sees a need in his or her community and wants to help can start a Sisters Together program (http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/PDFs/SisPrmGuide2.pdf [PDF 9,608Kb]). To order a hard copy of the Program Guide or get technical assistance if you want to start a Sisters Together activity near you, please call 1–877–946–4627.

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How can I order copies of WIN's publications?

You may order publications by phone, fax, or mail, and the first 25 copies are free. You may order 25 different titles or 25 copies of a single title.

By Phone: To order publications by phone, please call our toll-free number at 1–877–946–4627.

By Fax or Mail: To order publications by fax or mail, please print and complete the Publication Order Form, available at the Order page: http://win.niddk.nih.gov/order. Make sure to write a total on the line next to the title(s) you are ordering. Fill out the mailing information, and return the form to the fax number or address listed at the bottom of the form. Please allow 3 to 5 weeks for delivery.

If you cannot print the order form, we can send you a copy by mail or fax. Please call 1–877–946–4627 or email WIN at win@info.niddk.nih.gov to request a printed copy of the Publication Order Form.

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How much do WIN's publications cost?

A total order of up to 25 publications is free. For a total order of more than 25 copies, WIN charges a fee to cover postage and handling:

Total Items				Cost
1 to 25 items				Free
26 to 50 items				$20
51 to 100 items				$30

If your order requires a fee, you will need to send a check or money order for the appropriate amount (put the check in the envelope with the Publication Order Form). You can make the check payable to "Weight-control Information Network."

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What is the maximum number of publications that can be ordered?

WIN provides a maximum of 100 publications (either of a single title or different titles, not to exceed 100 copies). All of WIN's publications are available online. They are not copyrighted, so you may duplicate and share them as you please. We can also send you a copy of the WIN Publications CD. Please note, however, that the most up-to-date versions of our publications are those in PDF format under the "Publications" tab: http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications.

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What does "CD Only" mean on the Publications Order Form?

These items are available only online or on the WIN Publications CD, which contains many WIN materials.

If you order an item marked "CD Only," you will receive the WIN Publications CD. To make the most of your order, you may want to order a copy of the CD rather than items marked "CD Only." You may also want to download a specific document from WIN (http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/
publications) and make copies. Our materials are not copyrighted, and we encourage you to duplicate and share them.

You may order only one copy of the WIN Publications CD. The most up-to-date versions of our publications are available in PDF format under the "Publications" tab: http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications.

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Are WIN's materials copyrighted?

WIN materials are not copyrighted. We encourage you to duplicate and distribute them widely.

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May I use content from WIN's materials?

You are more than welcome to use WIN's products and place your logo on them. Once any WIN material is modified, we ask that you remove WIN and its logo and add that the material has been adapted from WIN, a program of the NIDDK and NIH.

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How should I reference WIN documents in my research paper?

Your references will depend on the citation style you are using. WIN uses the style of the American Medical Association (AMA). In the style guide you are using, you should follow the format listed for brochures or pamphlets.

To cite WIN's publications per AMA style, you may use "Weight-control Information Network," a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, part of the National Institutes of Health, as the author. If you are citing the online version of the publication, be sure to include the web address, the NIH publication number, and the month and year when WIN last updated the publication:

Format
Weight-control Information Network (WIN). Title of Publication: Subtitle of Publication. WIN website. http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/PDFs/title-of-publication.pdf. Updated Month Year. NIH publication ##–####. Type of publication (e.g., Fact sheet).

Sample
Weight-control Information Network (WIN). The World Around You. WIN website. http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/PDFs/TheWorldAroundYou.pdf. Updated November 2010. NIH publication 09–7461. Booklet.

To cite information available on WIN's website, please follow the format that your style guide recommends for websites.

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To contact WIN, call toll free 1–877–946–4627; fax: 202–828–1028; email: win@info.niddk.nih.gov;
or write Weight-control Information Network, 1 WIN Way, Bethesda, MD 20892–3665.