Health & Fitness

Whether it’s a website where people diagnosed with the same medical condition can share their stories or an app to find out how long it will take in the gym to burn off a Macadamia Mania Ripple sundae, consumers are taking their health in their own hands — and generating a massive amount of digital data in the process.

Sunday marks the 16th annual National Consumer Protection Week. The Federal Trade Commission stands with 74 federal, state and local agencies and organizations to stand up for consumers by highlighting the very best in consumer education resources.

When it comes to treatments for health conditions, it can be tough to tell useful products from those that don’t work as claimed. Dietary supplements may seem like harmless health boosters. But while some have proven benefits, many don't.

Looking for a product to help you lose weight? Ask some questions before you plunk down any money. For example: “Will I really lose a pound a day if I squirt a few drops of homeopathic hCG weight loss drops under my tongue before I eat?” No, you won’t, according to the Federal Trade Commission’s recent settlement with HCG Diet Direct, LLC, a company that marketed and sold the drops.