Treatment of obese individuals with binge eating disorder Behavioral strategies to reinforce changes in diet and physical activity can produce a weight loss in obese adults in the range of 10 percent of baseline weight over 4 months to 1 year. Unless a patient acquires a new set of eating and physical activity habits, long-term weight reduction is unlikely to succeed. The acquisition of new habits is particularly important for long-term weight maintenance at a lower weight.
Most patients return to baseline weights in the absence of continued intervention.
Thus, the physician or staff members must become familiar with techniques for modifying life habits of overweight or obese patients. The goal of behavior therapy is to alter the eating and activity habits of an obese patient. Techniques for behavior therapy have been developed to assist patients in modifying their life habits. Its effectiveness for long-term weight maintenance has not been shown in the absence of continued behavioral intervention. Most weight loss programs incorporating behavioral strategies do so as a package that includes education about nutrition and physical activity.