Role of Behavioral Interventions in the Management of Obesity.

Iyanu V Olateju,Ugonna Azode,Felicity Osula,Richard Okeke,Dolly Ogwu,Ijeoma Akabalu,Matthew O Owolabi

doi:10.7759/cureus.18080

Abstract

Overweight and obesity are the leading lifestyle-related causes of clinical and public health concerns. Health behavior change is central in obesity management. This review provides the various behavioral interventions in the management of obesity. Behavior modification is a structured method for improving lifestyle habits such as exercise, diet, and other practices that might influence behavior. This review article was based on current and older literature on behavioral approaches to target overweight/obesity. Articles about the various interventions to reduce obesity, particularly behavior interventions, were searched and explored. All the articles found to reveal behavior modification techniques, including goal-setting, self-monitoring, stimulus control, cognitive restructuring, stress management, problem-solving, and social support and information were obtained by reading the full text of the articles. The articles which did not provide any information regarding behavior interventions to reduce obesity were excluded from the review. This review discussed practical ways to incorporate behavior interventions in the management of obesity. The benefits and effectiveness of behavioral interventions on achieving and maintaining weight loss are also discussed. Patients using behavioral modification strategies to make these changes are more likely to succeed in long-term weight maintenance.

Highlights

BackgroundObesity and overweight are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation [1] and weight gain exceeding the standard indicator values [1,2]
This review provides the various behavioral interventions in the management of obesity
The clinical perspective is based on individual variations, while the public health perspective is based on calorie intake and energy expenditure [4,5]

Summary

Introduction

Obesity and overweight are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation [1] and weight gain exceeding the standard indicator values [1,2]. Overweight and obesity are the leading lifestyle-related causes of clinical and public health concerns [2]. The leading causes of death among adults with obesity include ischemic heart disease, complications from diabetes mellitus type 2, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cancers [6,7,8,9,10]. The risk of these non-communicable diseases increases even when slightly overweight and grows more severe as the BMI climbs. Behavioral modifications targeting diet and physical activity changes are the cornerstones of interventions for weight management in overweight and obese populations [12]. Behavioral interventions, exercise, and diet lead to more effective and sustainable weight maintenance [14,15]

Methodology

Conclusions

Disclosures

Sharma M