Westenhöfer J
Fachbereich Okotrophologie, Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften, Hamburg.
MMW Fortschr Med. 2001 Oct 18;143(42):43-5.
Behavioral therapy is an essential part of the overall strategy for treating obesity. Successes are most evident in short-term treatment, whereas the value of the long-term approach is more difficult to assess due to a lack of adequate data. The aims of behavior-modifying measures are improving eating habits and nutritional awareness, increasing physical activity, and improving strategies for coping with psychological and social consequences. At the focus of behavioral therapeutic techniques aimed at combatting obesity is self-observation supported by stimulus-control techniques, reinforcement techniques, and help with cognitive restructuring. Furthermore, patients learn how to avoid relapse. Success over the long-term can be improved by active follow-up measures and depends, among other things, on adequate quality control. The appropriate approaches to therapeutic programs must be made transparent both to the patient involved and concerned professionals.
