A comparison of weight control and weight control plus body image therapy for obese men and women

Participants were 65 obese men and women who were randomly assigned to eith er weight control or weight control plus cognitive-behavioral body image th erapy. Both conditions showed clinically significant improvements in body i mage at posttreatment and 1-year follow-up. Adding body image therapy to we ight control did not result in greater psychological improvements and did n ot result in better maintenance of body image change when participants rega ined weight after treatment. Weight loss and maintenance were equivalent be tween groups. Adding body image therapy did not improve or detract from wei ght loss. Although body image therapy has been shown to be effective in obe se persons, it appears that a well-rounded cognitive-behavioral weight cont rol program is effective as well.