Behavioral approaches have been widely adopted as an effective treatment strategy for the management of obesity. The earliest descriptions of behavioral strategies for obesity were published over 30 years ago.<sup>11 Ferster C., Nurberger J., Levitt E. The control of eating J Math 1962 ;  1 : 87

Cliquez ici pour aller à la section Références, 30 Stuart R. Behavioral control of overeating Behav Res Ther 1967 ;  5 : 357  [cross-ref]

Cliquez ici pour aller à la section Références</sup> The approach was initially called behavior modification. Later, the term behavioral therapy was used to describe essentially the same procedures. More recently, strategies to alter thought processes, attitudes, and emotions have been added to traditional behavioral approaches. This set of techniques is called cognitive-behavior therapy. All of these approaches share the same basic goals—modification of eating and exercise to yield “lifestyle behavior change.”

Evidence of the widespread acceptance of behavioral treatment approaches for obesity is seen in the fact that virtually all commercial weight management programs, for example, NutriSystems and Weight Watchers, include a behavior modification component. Recent recommendations of a government panel on the problem of obesity emphasized lifestyle behavior change as the first and most important step in the treatment of obesity.<sup>20 NIH Technology Assessment Conference Panel Methods for voluntary weight loss and control Ann Intern Med 1993 ;  119 : 764

Cliquez ici pour aller à la section Références</sup> In this article, we review the evolution of research on behavior management approaches for obesity and describe current research findings concerning the effectiveness of this approach.