Jp. Foreyt et Wsc. Poston, THE ROLE OF THE BEHAVIORAL COUNSELOR IN OBESITY TREATMENT, Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 98(10), 1998, pp. 27-30
This review summarizes the role of behavioral counselors in obesity tr
eatment. Behavioral counselors, who are often also registered dietitia
ns, provide multidisciplinary treatment teams with expertise in the mo
dification of diet and physical activity behaviors. Behavioral counsel
ors use a variety of behavior-change strategies aimed at modifying obe
sity-related behaviors. The first step is to establish a collaborative
alliance that will facilitate adherence and behavior change. Then, mu
ltiple intervention-related strategies can be used to further enhance
adherence to treatment and elicit behavior change. These strategies in
clude self-monitoring, stimulus control, cognitive restructuring, stre
ss management, social support, physical activity, and relapse preventi
on. Interventions that incorporate these strategies are effective in p
roducing gradual and moderate weight loss in persons with obesity.