A healthy diet, physical exercise and behavior changes are crucial elements of treatment for obese individuals. According to Rena R. Wing, professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown Medical School and Deborah F. Tate, clinical psychologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, behavioral approaches to obesity treatment are based on the assumptions that diet and exercise are behaviors associated with body weight and that such behaviors can be changed. By adopting healthier behaviors, obese individuals may learn to manage weight healthfully.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) works under the premise that thoughts create behavior, rather than the other way around. According to "CBT Teaches Obese People How to Think Thin," published in the August 2007 issue of "Psychiatric News," CBT teaches obese individuals to think like healthy-weight individuals. Since thin and overweight people tend to think differently in regard to hunger, food, appetite and exercise, shifting thoughts from feeling fear or frustration in response to hunger to viewing it as a natural physiological cue to seek nourishment can lead to improved behaviors.
Such programs encourage participants to follow specific dietary plans, to explore their thoughts and feelings in regards to food and weight loss and teaches them how to say no to temptation or food they feel otherwise obligated to eat. Proponents of CBT believe the format is helpful to a broad spectrum of individuals, as the treatment remains the same, regardless of the underlying reason behind each person's weight gain.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) abides by the notion that some people, due to challenging circumstances, upbringing or unknown biological factors, react abnormally to emotional stimulation. According to a preliminary research trial conducted at the Stanford University School of Medicine and published in "Behavior" in 2000, adult women who were obese in affiliation with binge eating disorder experienced significantly reduced binging behaviors after completing DBT and maintained improved eating behaviors afterwards. Obese individuals who eat or binge due primarily to intense emotions may benefit from DBT.
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT) is an approach based on the idea that emotions and behaviors stem from one's thought process. Circumstances are examined on several levels. First, the trigger of the event is considered---what caused it to happen? Second, the individual's inferences are considered---what did he think as a result of what happened? Lastly, the person's beliefs about the situation and the emotional and behavioral responses are addressed.
In the case of obesity, REBT helps individuals examine scenarios that contribute to their obesity. For example, if an individual is hurt by an insult from another and normally reacts by feeling saddened and consuming unhealthy foods, REBT may help the person understand why he feels and reacts in such a way and to discover alternate, more positive ways of coping. According to article, "A Brief Introduction To Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy," published by the "Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy Center in New Zealand" in 2005, REBT forces individuals to face situations and events they normally avoid, thus creating potential for significant healing.
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