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Behavioral Approaches to the Problems of Obesity

St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons

Kevin R. Fontaine

Lawrence J. Cheskin

Johns Hopkins University

David B. Allison

St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeonsdba8{at}columbia.edu.

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.

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