The most common psychosocial problem in obesity is negative body image. This refers to excessive preoccupation with weight and body shape, excessive importance given to appearance in self-evaluation, grooming and dressing designed to hide the body, distressing self-consciousness and avoidance of social situations or physical activities. Negative body image is subjectively distressing and can impair normal social functioning. Dieting is only modestly effective in the short term and fairly ineffective in the long term for improving body image. In this study, obese subjects seeking weight reduction were randomly assigned to dieting plus body image therapy or dieting alone. The purpose is to determine if the combined treatment is more effective at improving body image than traditional weight reduction alone. A secondary objective is to determine if the addition of body image therapy facilitates weight loss and decreases dropouts from the dieting program. Treatment has been completed. Subjects are being assessed in a follow-up at the present time.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 94 publications