Behavioral Approaches to the Treatment of Obesity.

INTRODUCTION Behavioral (or lifestyle) interventions are considered the cornerstone of obesity treatment. These programs are designed to produce long-term weight losses through changes in diet and physical activity. Behavioral approaches form the basis for the prevention and treatment of obesity in both children and adults. In addition, they are critical components of pharmacological and surgical approaches to obesity. The Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center, which is affiliated with The Miriam Hospital, conducts research to develop and evaluate new behavioral approaches to weight control (http://weightresearch.org). Participants entering these research studies receive state-of-the-art behavioral programs at no cost.