Behavioural treatment of the overweight patient

The goal of obesity treatment has changed significantly in the past decade. Where once the goal was a reduction to ideal weight, the current objective is the achievement of a healthier weight. For many obese individuals, this means losing as little as 5-15% of their initial weight. This article briefly describes behavioural methods to help obese individuals modify their eating and activity habits in order to achieve these new goals. A review of recent studies shows that patients treated by a comprehensive group behavioural programme lose approximately 9% of their initial weight in 20 weeks and, without further treatment, maintain a loss of 5% 1 year later. Methods of improving the maintenance of weight loss include increasing physical activity, extending the length of behavioural treatment and, with appropriately selected individuals, combining behavioural and pharmacological interventions. The importance of helping obese individuals adopt realistic treatment expectations is also discussed.