Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Treatment of Adult Obesity

Mohammad Alimoradi, Morteza Abdolahi, Leila Aryan, Roya Vazirijavid, Marjan Ajami
2016 International Journal of Medical Reviews Review Article International Journal of Medical Reviews   unpublished
Introduction The prevalence of obesity has dramatically increased worldwide over the last decades and has now reached epidemic proportions. For instance, the global prevalence of obesity has nearly been doubled between 1980 to 2008. According to the World Health Organization, 35% of adults worldwide aged > 20 years old were overweight (34% men and 35% women) in 2008 including 10% men and 14% women were being considered as obese, that their obesity is defined with a BMI greater than or equal to
more » ... 0. Increased BMI is a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular, diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders (especially osteoarthritis), and some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon). The higher is BMI, the higher is the risk of noncommunicable diseases. Obesity is largely treatable and preventable. Healthy food and healthy lifestyle are influenced by the environment, culture, socioeconomic issues and awareness of people. Obesity can be defined as a multifactorial syndrome resulting from psychological, social, physiological, metabolic, biochemical, and cultural changes (1, 2, and 3).Given the increase in the number of obese patients worldwide and increase in the economic and financial losses caused by obesity, it seems necessary to change eating behavior and thought patterns. Researches have shown that cognitive behavioral therapy as a treatment approach for weight loss and maintenance of weight over the past 55 years has turned out to be necessary. This form of treatment came into existence in the 1960s, and has become more perfect with the passage of time. These interventions have been suggested as effective methods for modifying the behavior of individuals suffering from obesity. Cognitive behavioral therapy for obesity is based on the cause and nature of obesity. This type of treatment based on the Social, cultural, and biological approaches, and also principles of psychology teaches people to live healthily. By this approach sustainable change in lifestyle will lead to obesity treatment (4, 5, and 6). Cognitive behavioral therapy is a method that is based on the mental effects, which is used to help to promote certain changes in people and help to relieve emotional, behavioral, social and intellectual ravages. Cognitive behavioral therapists diagnose and treat problems that are caused by irrational thinking, wrong inferences, and incomplete learning. This type of treatment can be conducted by individuals, families and groups. In this type of treatment, problems such as anxiety, depression, anger, shame, low self-esteem, adaptation problems, sleep disturbances, stress and trauma of the past lead to obesity or obesity-related problems. Cognitive behavioral therapy has been used to treat a range of disorders including eating disorders (bulimia and anorexia nervosa), obesity, anxiety, phobias, depression, addiction and maladaptive behavior. The Introduction: Given the increase in the number of obese patients worldwide, economic costs and financial losses caused by obesity, it seems essential to change eating behavior and thought patterns. Non-invasive treatment of obesity, such as physical activity, diet and medication, as well as invasive surgery, have not been successful in treatment of obesity, and reduced weight in most cases returns and weight maintenance has not been stable. Methods: In order to fulfill the purpose of the study google scholar , Science Direct , PubMed , EMBASE, Cochrane Library databases were searched for the key words weight loss, weight maintenance , obesity, in addition to cognitive behavioral therapy/CBT , lifestyle, behavioral therapy and other related terms and text words to find articles in English between 1970 to 2015. Results: New treatments for obesity should be multi-dimensional interventions. Cognitive behavioral therapy along with diet and exercise should be used to improve the effectiveness of traditional methods. Cognitive-behavioral therapy of obesity is based on the cause and nature of obesity. This intervention is effective for treating obesity with a focus on sustainable change in lifestyle. Conclusions: In this review success in an intervention program for the treatment of adult obesity consists of CBT is explained and aimed to evaluate the effect of CBT on obesity treatment since 1970 to 2015.
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