Being overweight and obese are the leading causes of clinical and societal lifestyle-related health problems. Changing health behaviors is central to the treatment of obesity. Patients who use behavioral change policy make modifications that are likely to be successful in long-term body weight maintenance. The use of behavioral interventions effectively manages obesity in a primary care setting and reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Behavior change is an organized way to improve lifestyle habits such as dietary, physical activity, and other methods that can affect obesity. Most behavior modification strategies focus on:
- raising awareness of the triggers of problematic behavior,
- identifying feelings and beliefs related to weight issues,
- strengthening the structure around common weight-related behaviors,
- providing support to change,
- setting realistic goals for change (Pearl et al., 2020).
Effective behavioral strategies for weight loss strongly depend on behavior change methods, such as self-control, physical activity, goal setting, problem-solving, support systems, control of stressors and stimuli, cognitive restructuring, alternative behavior, constant patient-centered care, and weight control (Pearl et al., 2020). Service plans, structured meal plans, meal substitutes, understanding portion control, and contingency management, creating specific plans for “misses” and alternative behaviors. In patients with obesity (P) will the use of behavioral interventions (I) compared to no interventions (C) improve their health outcomes (O) within 10 weeks? (T).
It has been proven that including behavioral modifications in treating obesity leads to decreased body weight and weight. Over the past 20 years, numerous studies have reported that behavioral interventions lasting more than four months lead to an average weight loss of 1 pound per week (Amiri et al., 2020). The use of several interventions leads to more significant weight loss. After nine to ten months of behavioral treatment, about two-thirds of patients achieve and maintain weight loss (Olateju et al., 2021). In addition to exercise and diet, numerous studies consistently prove that long-term behavior treatment leads to significant weight loss.
The importance of the project to nursing practice is that healthcare professionals should be more involved in the prophylaxis of obesity and include different behavioral interventions to control and prevent obesity. It is required to move from establishing diet and exercise as lifestyle change measures to a more complex approach, including behavioral treatment (Amiri et al., 2020). This interdisciplinary approach to treating obesity will contribute to the patient’s compliance with the treatment regimen, adherence, and preservation of lifestyle modification.
Obesity causes multiple concomitant and chronic diseases, and doctors should apply a comprehensive approach to treating obesity. Practitioners should personalize therapy, eliminate the main secondary reasons for obesity, and concentrate on treating or controlling related diseases. Treatment should involve dietary changes, behavioral interventions, drug treatment, and surgery if necessary. Behavioral interventions recommend that obese sufferers should be referred for intensive behavioral interference. There are various psychotherapeutic interferences, including cognitive behavioral therapy, motivational interviews, interpersonal psychotherapy, and dialectical behavioral therapy. Behavioral interventions are most efficient in combination with diet and exercise.
In conclusion, this project aims to reduce the complications of obesity among patients. Obesity is the leading cause of preventable death and is a significant burden for patients and society. The project aims to reduce this burden by improving the treatment of obesity. Self-monitoring programs focused on BMI, diet, exercise, and follow-up are the best treatments for obesity because they allow patients to manage their health and make healthy changes that can last a lifetime. These programs enable people to develop healthy habits that can prevent obesity in the first place.
References
Amiri, P., Jalali-Farahani, S., Zarkesh, M., Gharibzadeh, S., Hedayati, M., & Azizi, F. (2020). Behavioral interventions for weight management in overweight and obese adolescents: a comparison between a motivation-based educational program and conventional dietary counseling. International journal of endocrinology and metabolism, 18(1). Web.
Olateju, I. V., Ogwu, D., Owolabi, M. O., Azode, U., Osula, F., Okeke, R., & Akabalu, I. (2021). Role of Behavioral Interventions in the Management of Obesity. Cureus, 13(9). Web.
Pearl, R. L., Wadden, T. A., Bach, C., Gruber, K., Leonard, S., Walsh, O. A., & Berkowitz, R. I. (2020). Effects of a cognitive-behavioral intervention targeting weight stigma: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 88(5), 470. Web.