Changing Behavior Helps Weight Loss

Behavioral therapy helps people lose weight. There are dozens of diets, exercise programs and weight loss formulas to help people shed excess pounds. A new meta-analysis of 58 clinical trials shows that programs to help people alter their eating behavior make a measurable difference. Lumping all the data together the investigators found that people who had at least 12 sessions in a comprehensive weight loss program lost 9 to 15 pounds over the course of a year. Such behavioral therapy provides practical therapy in setting realistic goals, overcoming barriers and maintaining a regular exercise program. The investigators concluded that behavioral programs work for weight loss. The more sessions someone attends the more weight he or she is likely to lose.

[Annals of Internal Medicine, October 4, 2011]