Creative arts therapies to improve health and well-being in obesity? A systematic literature review of current research.

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of this systematic literature review was to assess the effects of creative arts therapies on the health and well-being of overweight/obese patients.

Methods: The database search was conducted in "American Search Ultimate, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, ERIC, MEDLINE (via PubMed), OpenDissertations, PSYNDEX Literature with PSYNDEX Test, SocINDEX, SocINDEX wih Full text", covering the period from 2000 to 2024. Studies with evidence level I-IV, subjects with a BMI > 25 were included.

Results: 12 studies, including five controlled studies, were analysed. Significant results were achieved in self-esteem, quality of life, body awareness, dissatisfaction with one's own body, social relationships, changes in health and eating behaviour; lower impact on body image, emotional eating, communication skills, dealing with your own body shape.

Discussion/conclusion: Creative arts therapies can make a valuable contribution to health promotion for overweight individuals. Increased integration into weight reduction programmes would be a logical next step. Future research should place greater emphasis on increasing sample sizes, employing control group, specifying types of intervention and settings, and expanding the inclusion of children and adolescents as target groups to validate existing findings and to enhance the informative value of the results.