Coercion versus self-selection when treating issues of overfatness: A narrative review

Abstract

The use of diet and exercise has become the cornerstone to treatment of overfatness issues. Yet, the implementation of such factors into lifestyle changes has not been able to meet intrinsic expectations or desires and has led to continuous repetition of short-term success within a coercive environment that is followed by rebound leading to secondary short-term success, that is yo-yo’ing. Even though this has become common, there has been little insight into how we might be able to improve suggestions for diet and exercise to better encourage long-term success as opposed to the short-term gains that are regularly met. In this commentary, we offer a narrative review describing how the use of behavioural analytic methodologies and techniques might allow for the development of self-selective lifestyle modifications (e.g. changes to diet, use of exercise) and choices in behaviour that better serve individuals attempting to reverse the health issues associated with overfatness, without the sense of their being coerced into their choices.