Behavioral Approaches to the Problems of Obesity

Obesity is a complex and increasingly prevalent disorder that can confer a number of medical, social, and psychological difficulties. As a result, an array of treatment strategies falling under the generic umbrella of “behavior therapy”have been developed and continue to be refined and expanded. In...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Behavior modification 2000-09, Vol.24 (4), p.459-493
Main Authors: Faith, Myles S., Fontaine, Kevin R., Cheskin, Lawrence J., Allison, David B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Assertiveness
Attrition (Research Studies)
Behavior modification
Behavior Therapy - methods
Behavior therapy. Cognitive therapy
Biological and medical sciences
Body Composition
Body Weight
Humans
Individual Needs
Interpersonal Competence
Medical sciences
Metabolic diseases
Negative Attitudes
Obesity
Obesity - therapy
Operant Conditioning
Psychology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Psychotherapy, Group - methods
Scientific Concepts
Self Concept
Self Esteem
Treatments
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Obesity is a complex and increasingly prevalent disorder that can confer a number of medical, social, and psychological difficulties. As a result, an array of treatment strategies falling under the generic umbrella of “behavior therapy”have been developed and continue to be refined and expanded. In this article, different behavioral approaches to the problems of obesity are outlined and reviewed, specifically, those that target (a) body weight or composition, (b) lifestyle factors and other health-related variables, and (c) related psychological variables such as self-esteem and assertiveness, as well as negative attitudes toward obese persons held by nonobese individuals. For each of these targets of change, approaches to both individual- and group-level interventions are considered. Suggestions for future research and clinical work are offered. Throughout, the importance of conceptualizing obesity as a multifaceted problem is underscored. The necessity for explicit target goals when attempting to modify behavior is also highlighted.
ISSN:0145-4455
1552-4167
DOI:10.1177/0145445500244001