Weight Loss

Weight Loss in Indianapolis, IN

An article in the Monitor on Psychology  by Mantel (2024) dealt with the issue of weight loss and its complexities. The content here is based on this article. The author notes that weight loss is a goal  that many people set for themselves. For some, it is high on their list because they have or are at risk of having weight-associated diseases, such as diabetes, heart failure, stroke, or heart attack. Often the medical treatment plan includes weight loss as a cornerstone.

To help patients accomplish this goal, psychologists rely on cognitive behavioral therapy and psychoeducation. These can work for some people. However, they more often fail than succeed or only work for a while. Unfortunately as many as two-thirds of these patients end up eventually weighing more than when they began. Other negative consequences can be yo-yo dieting, an increase in eating disordered behaviors, and lowered self-esteem from failure.

A recent survey estimated that 42.5% of U.S. adults are obese. A variety of factors contribute, including genetics and socio-economic factors like access to healthy foods, availability of exercise, and job opportunities. Actually, personal behaviors have been found to play only a minor part; yet people blame themselves and society agrees. As many as 40% of adults with higher weight reported that they have experienced some form of weight blame, most often from family members and health care providers such as doctors, nurses nutritionists, and mental health professionals.

There are new weight loss drugs, GLP-1 receptor agonists, that can be effective. However there are complications. They are expensive, often not covered by insurance, and can have unpleasant side effects like nausea and vomiting. Weight plateaus after a year, and much of it can return after the medication is discontinued. To date, there are no long-term studies about the effects.

What does work? Non-dieting, self-acceptance approaches need further research, but the research we do have suggests that results compare favorably to dieting programs. They also have lower drop-out rates. When attention is paid to eating, the focus is upon eating for well-being based on internal hunger cues, not upon a certain number of calories or upon a definite number of pounds to be lost. Physical activities are pursued for pleasure, not for obligation.

As a clinical psychologist, I prefer the non-dieting, self-acceptance approaches.

Reference: Mantel, B. (2024). Working with patients with weight-associated diseases. Monitor on Psychology, 55(4), 36-41.