POPH90245: Analyzing Obesity Treatment with Behavioral Theory

This essay argues that behavioral therapy, grounded in behavioral theory, is an effective method for obesity treatment due to its focus on modifying unhealthy lifestyle and dietary behaviors. It highlights the increasing prevalence of obesity and the limitations of conventional treatments in achieving long-term weight maintenance. The essay explains how behavioral theory, based on conditioning and the identification of trigger factors, can lead to positive behavioral changes. It discusses classical and operant conditioning, social learning theory, and cognitive behavioral therapy, emphasizing the importance of addressing societal aspects and promoting public awareness. The essay concludes that despite challenges, behavioral theory offers valuable insights and sustainable benefits for obesity treatment through behavior modification and realistic goal setting.

Running head: BEHAVIORAL THEORY AND OBESITY TREATMENT
BEHAVIORAL THEORY AND OBESITY TREATMENT
Name of the Student:
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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

3BEHAVIORAL THEORY AND OBESITY TREATMENT
behavioural therapy. While social learning theories rely on the usage of observation for
change, cognitive behavioural attempts to alter the detrimental thoughts pertaining to one’s
behaviour, and applied behaviour analysis relies heavily on the conductance of conditioning.
Either way, every type of behavioural therapy aims at locating the underlying cause, followed
by reduction of harmful behaviours – a characteristic attribute in obesity (DuBois et al.,
2017). The phenomenon of social theory specifies the theoretical frameworks describing the
reasons behind various societal behaviours, on philosophical, political and sociological
platforms (Boxenbaum, 2014).
While beneficial short term implications have been associated upon abidance of a low
fat diet, followed by adequate exercise, often individuals exhibit detrimental outcomes during
long term events outlining weight maintenance and appropriate dietary principles
(Heymsfield&Wadden, 2017). Hence, due to the intrinsic association between harmful life
sustenance habits and the resultant obesity, the usage of behavioural theory along with
necessary behavioural therapy has been reported to yield beneficial health outcomes in the
concerned patient (Fitzpatrick et al., 2016).According to behavioural theory associated with
obesity, the behaviours of overweight individuals are triggered due to the presence of stimuli
associated with the olfactory features of their favourite food, along with factors such as
hunger or specific time (Best et al., 2016). An additional behavioural theory suggests eating
habits unique to obese patients, which involve consumption of large portion sizes along with
reduced number of bites (O’Reilly et al., 2014). Hence, with respect to the first theory, where
obese individuals are influenced by triggers such as television viewing while eating, or
expectation of sweet treats after the end of a meal, therapeutic principles will require removal
of desserts, habits to eat in a smaller plate or engaging in activities other than those associated
with eating. For the eating styles, obese individuals can be trained to perform behaviours
associated with chewing specific number of times or choosing difficult to consume, crunchy

4BEHAVIORAL THEORY AND OBESITY TREATMENT
textured foods (Forman et al., 2016). Further, according to social theory, several societal
aspects have also been linked to increased obesity prevalence. These include: increased
technology leading to sedentary life, usage of machines as compared to manual labour and
the low cost production of high calories foods resulting in greater calorie consumption by
economically underprivileged populations (Shoham et al., 2015).
Despite the potential beneficial implications exhibited by behavioural therapy in the
treatment of obesity, the above theory and associated therapy have been overcome by
considerable avoidance. This is due to the fact that behavioural therapy generally requires an
increased amount of time as compared to conventional obesity therapeutic procedures, along
with a repertoire of significant skills aimed at modifying intrinsic habits of the concerned
obese patient. However, with the advancement of technology, there has been recent
improvements through abolishing of these shortcomings, with the usage of computer
assistance and interactions which do not require physical presence (Sockalingam et al., 2017).
Further, there have been reported beneficial outcomes by patients who have underwent
behavioural theoretical treatment for obesity, resulting in a sustainable weight loss of 2
kilograms per month. Further, the usage of behavioural theory and therapy adds considerable
value in the treatment of obesity, since it focusses on fulfilling realistic goals which can be
monitored by the patient, further resulting in long term benefits due to modification of
behaviours in the individual. (Manzoni et al., 2016). Further, keeping social theory and the
societal implications of obesity in mind, there is a need for collective social interventions for
the prevention and treatment of obesity, which may include greater public awareness and
education concerning the importance of healthy nutrient intake, along with adoption of
practices pertaining to low cost production of home cooked, healthy food of lower calorie
density (Hofman, 2016).

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Hence, it can be concluded that despite the possible shortcomings requiring increased
time along with a set of competent skills, social and theory, have been implicated to reap
potential health benefits in the efforts to treat and cure obesity. Hence, through this
discussion, I have shown that usage of social and behavioural theory and therapeutic
principles, can yield beneficial outcomes and behavioural changes in obese and overweight
patients, as compared to alternative techniques, in the efforts to establish successful treatment
procedures, in the harmful disease condition of obesity.

6BEHAVIORAL THEORY AND OBESITY TREATMENT
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