Behavioral Theory and Obesity Treatment

Running head: BEHAVIORAL THEORY AND OBESITY TREATMENT
BEHAVIORAL THEORY AND OBESITY TREATMENT
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1BEHAVIORAL THEORY AND OBESITY TREATMENT
‘Obesity’ has been characterised as a state of comorbidity, due to the accumulation of
harmful adipose tissue deposition, abnormally and in excessive amounts as compared to
normal healthy states. Such detrimental conditions arise, due to the behavioural discrepancies
in the individual, associated with unhealthy dietary and lifestyle behaviours and habits
(Gonsalves, Hawk &Goodenow, 2014). The therapeutic features of behavioural therapy, are
based on behavioural theory, aims to modify the occurrences of harmful behaviours in an
individual (Wadden et al., 2014).
In this essay, I am going to argue that behavioural therapy, with the aid of behavioural
theory, is an effective method for the treatment of obesity, as compared to additional
methods, due to adherences to unhealthy lifestyle and dietary behaviours.
The disease condition of obesity is outlined by the occurrences of an increased body
weight in an individual, which exists at unhealthy levels, as compared normal and desired
standards. With the onset of increased occupational stresses followed by adherence to
sedentary lifestyles, there has been a rapid rise in the trends of obesity prevalence in the
population. As opined by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, which is a part of the
Australian Government, the comorbid condition of obesity has been increased recognised as a
diseases epidemic in Australia, with over a quarter of the population, which is almost 26%,
residing in a state of obesity and overweight in the year 2015 (Leslie et al., 2015). A reduced
performance of adequate physical activity, increased adherence to a sedentary lifestyle and
consumption of unhealthy diet resulting in increased calorie intake as compared to calories
metabolised, are the causative factors behind obesity. Hence, strict adherence to a balanced,
low fat and low sugar diet, followed by adequate exercise has been outlined as primary
treatments for obesity (Paul et al., 2015). Despite the proven effectiveness of the above,
individuals still face a considerable lack in motivation and a loss in self-control during long
term weight maintenance stages, due to temptation and desire to consume convenient and

2BEHAVIORAL THEORY AND OBESITY TREATMENT
pleasing processed foods, further acting as triggers leading to unhealthy dietary and lifestyle
behaviours. For this reason, there is a need to utilise alternative methods for the treatment of
obesity, which will not only aim to induce rapid weight loss in the individual but also to instil
long term changes with respect to his or her habits, especially the trigger factors associated
with the consumption of unhealthy foods and abidance of a sedentary lifestyle (Ratcliffe&
Ellison, 2015).
The theoretical principles of behavioural therapy, are based on the psychological
concept of ‘behaviourism’ or ‘behavioural theory’. In accordance to psychological principle,
behavioural theory is based on the idea that an individual’s behaviour is determined by the
principles of conditioning, which is based on the idea that the individuals exhibit certain
types of behaviour, due to the presence of certain trigger or stimulatory factors in the
environment surrounding their immediate vicinity (Shou et al., 2017). Hence, the basic
principles of behaviour exhibited by humans can be analysed and interpreted through careful
observation and identification of these conditioning factors. Hence, advocators of behavioural
therapy establish their functioning treatment principles on the idea that establishment of
positive alterations and beneficial modifications are possible in any individual, through
correct identification of the stimulating factors followed by the adoption of specific
procedures of learning, which will aim to alter the occurrences of unhealthy behaviours
(Hahn et al., 2015).Hence, based on the above, behavioural therapy is determined by the
salient functioning of the principles of classical and operant conditioning. While the features
of classical conditioning are determined by the formation of associations between stimuli, the
principles of operant conditioning are determined by the application of rewarding or
punishment, for the purpose of regulating these associations (Hildebrandt et al., 2015).Hence,
this makes behavioural therapy highly dependent on action and can be classified in to several
types, such as theory of social learning, analysis of applied behaviour and cognitive