Body Therapy

Defined as body mass index equal to or greater than 30, obesity accounts for rising rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders, and certain types of cancers. Diet and exercise are often identified as the primary risk-reduction strategies. Yet obesity is a complex problem, driven by physiological, environmental, social, economic, and behavioral factors.

Simplistic plans to modify diet and exercise alone often fail to bring about lasting weight reduction or viable long-term solutions. Complementary and alternative therapies offer strategies that providers can use in combination with diet and exercise to increase success and outcome sustainability. Mind-body therapies—such as guided imagery, relaxation, hypnosis, biofeedback, yoga, qi gong, and meditation, which all influence thought, emotion, and mental imaging—may be particularly helpful; research suggests that they enhance weight reduction through portion awareness and self-monitoring, satiation and satisfaction awareness, and stress reduction.