The Effectiveness of Supportive Psychotherapy in Weight Loss in a Group of Young Overweight and Obese Women

Abstract

Overweight and obesity are among the most widespread health problems worldwide. The primary cause of obesity is an inability to control overeating. Therefore, today, obesity needs to be treated more as an eating disorder, i.e., a mental disorder, and thus, it should be approached as such. Taking the above together, this study aimed to assess the impact of supportive psychotherapy on reducing body weight in young overweight and obese women who attempted slimming therapy and, additionally, the possibility of maintaining the weight-loss effect in the long term. Sixty young women aged 20–30 were randomized into three groups that differed in therapeutic management. With the help of an individually selected diet plan, the highest effectiveness in weight loss was demonstrated in people whose weight reduction was supported by goal-oriented psychotherapy. In this group, a sustained effect of slimming and even further weight loss were observed six months following the discontinuation of the therapy. In conclusion, traditional slimming therapies using an individual diet plan and a dietitian’s care are effective; however, supportive psychotherapeutic work provides more beneficial results and maintains the change from a long-term perspective.

Psychological approaches to obesity in young adults: state of the art

“…Seven studies proposed group interventions; however, there was no discussion regarding the effectiveness of group interventions in managing young adults ( 12 , 24 – 28 , 30 , 32 , 34 ).…”

The Effectiveness of Supportive Psychotherapy on the Anxiety and Depression Experienced by Patients Receiving Fiberoptic Bronchoscope

“…Nurses are recognized as key persons who can help patients mitigate their negative thoughts and emotions, among which depression and anxiety are common reactions, and patients' emotional needs should be addressed during nurse counseling (Rutledge et al, 2018 ; Tay et al, 2018 ). SPT intervention, as an alternative method for giving patients self-confidence in their self-care practice, in understanding their problems, maintaining their hope, and reducing their anxiety (Ruchiwit, 2012 ), has been successfully used as a supportive treatment in many diseases, including hematologic malignancies (Koehler et al, 2022 ), body dysmorphic disorder (Weingarden et al, 2021 ), obesity (Juchacz et al, 2021 ), chronic back pain (Rutledge et al, 2018 ), and miscarriage and so on (Barat et al, 2020 ). However, there is a lack of evidence on its role in the management of patients undergoing FOB.…”

“…Supportive psychotherapy (SPT) as a nonspecific, nondirective treatment is possibly the most ubiquitously used psychotherapy, which required no formal or special training (Grover et al, 2020). As reported by previous studies, SPT performed by nurses is an "inferior" therapy for several diseases, such as chronic back pain (Rutledge et al, 2018), hematologic malignancies (Koehler et al, 2022), body dysmorphic disorder (Weingarden et al, 2021), obesity (Juchacz et al, 2021), and lung cancer (Peng et al, 2019), can offer significant benefits via improving effectively functional impairment, depression severity and quality of life. Although SPT for adults may alleviate psychological distress (Koehler et al, 2022), little is known about the practice of nursing when providing this form of care to patients undergoing FOB.…”

Is Intermittent Fasting Better Than Continuous Energy Restriction for Adults with Overweight and Obesity?

“… 56 IF in combination with supportive psychodynamic psychotherapy and physical activity is an effective strategy for long-term weight loss and body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio, and body fat reduction. 57 …”