Cognitive-behavioral group therapy and weight management: A collaborative approach between mental health and health education services

INTRODUCTION: A case-control study was used to explore the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral approach to weight management, exercise, nutrition, emotional health, and quality of life. METHODS: Participants (n=70) enrolled in a pilot study and were randomly assigned to either a control or intervention cohort. A trained clinician delivered a cognitive-behavioral group treatment to the intervention cohort. The control cohort participated in baseline measurements but did not receive intervention. Paired T-test statistics were used to compare pre- and post-measures for each of the two cohorts. FINDINGS: The intervention cohort had statistically significant (p<0.05) changes in pounds lost (mean = 8.41), decrease in waist circumference (mean = 1.55), decrease in hip circumference (mean = 1.31), decreased diastolic blood pressure (mean = 3.64), increase in resistant exercise (mean 1.23), increase in low saturated fat food consumption (mean 2.125), less feelings of guilt (mean = 0.58), less fatigue (mean = 0.56), fewer nervous feelings (mean = 0.4) among other positive outcomes. Quality of life indicators in the intervention cohort reflect decreased satisfaction in several areas including satisfaction with learning, satisfaction with love, satisfaction with home and neighborhood. The control cohort showed no statistically significant differences among these or any other indicators. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive-behavioral interventions may benefit overweight and obese individuals in several domains including weight loss, exercise, nutrition, and emotional health. Changes in these important behaviors are related strongly to an increase of overall dissatisfaction with quality of life, brought on by the intervention, which may subsequently motivate an individual toward behavior change.