Principles for the application of CBT in the treatment of Obesity

(given the specificity of the theme, we use three references on this topic: Rodríguez, Gómez, Martínez and Pérez [2003])
The need to complement the diet and exercise guidelines with the application of weight reduction programs and prevention of weight recovery is the main challenge for the overweight patient and, therefore, it can be extremely difficult to cope with different lifestyle, which initially may prove tremendously hard. The need for daily physical exercise has to be in tune with a new diet, harder to implement but also healthier. CBT techniques are mostly directed at shifting the feeding behavior and physical exercise, through a change in attitude and the patient’s collaboration. There are numerous evidences that prove that the application of such programs considerably improves these patients’ evolution, enhancing other dimensions in the treatment of obesity. However, due to the chronic character of the disease, the therapeutic action must be prolonged throughout time, at the center of which the CBT plays a vital role. One must take notice that the entire intervention must be guided by a specialized and joint action of several healthcare providers (nutritionist, endocrinologist, doctor, etc.) and not just the psychologist (Rodríguez, Gómez, Martínez e Pérez (2003).