Comparing the Effects of Acceptance and Commitment Group Therapy and Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy on Life Habits, Disordered Eating Behavior, and Health-Promoting Lifestyle in Obese Women

Abstract

Background and Aim: Despite numerous advances in treating various diseases and increased life expectancy, obesity will be the leading cause of hopelessness in the next 100 years. The present study aimed to compare the effects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) on lifestyle habits, disordered eating behavior, and health-promoting lifestyle in obese women. Methods & Materials: The statistical population consisted of all women referring to obesity clinics in district 2 of Tehran City, Iran, in 2019. Forty-Five patients were selected by convenience sampling method and replaced in 3 groups of 15 (two experimental & one control groups). The study participants were assessed using the Assessment of Life Habits Scale (LIFE-H)), the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT), and the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile-II (HPLP-II). The ACT group underwent nine 90-minute sessions and the CBT group received eight 90-minute sessions. The control group received no training. The collected data were analyzed using Mixed Design and repeated-measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) in SPSS. Ethical Considerations This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch (Code: IR.IAU.K.REC.1398.039). Results: The present research results signified that ACT and CBT were effective on the habits of eating disorders and health-promoting lifestyles in the explored obese women. The achieved changes remained stable until the follow-up phase (P<0.001). Moreover, ACT was more successful than CBT in improving the components of life habits and health responsibilities in the study subjects (P<0.001). Conclusion: Considering the significant effect of group-based ACT and CBT, it is recommended to use these methods to increase the mental health of obese individuals.