This study compared 2 extended therapy programs for weight management with standard behavioral treatment (BT) without additional therapy contacts. Participants were 80 obese women who completed 20 weekly group sessions of BT and achieved a mean initial weight loss of 8.74 kg. Participants were randomly assigned to a no-further-contact condition (BT only) or to one of two extended interventions ...

OBJECTIVE In an effort to develop more effective weight-loss interventions, this study examined the daily experiences and personal struggles of Mexican-American adolescent females with morbid obesity. METHODS Twenty self-identified, morbidly obese Mexican-American adolescent females and their families were interviewed about their food choices, personal and family barriers to weight loss, sour...

Preface So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who has mercy. While this Bible verse above primarily tells us about attaining salvation, its truth may be discovered in everyday life. Our salvation is not simply the product of human will and effort, but a gift of God. In a similar way, God's undeserved goodness can be observed in many areas of a person's life and act...

Obesity may contribute to development and recurrence of cancer, as well as cancer-related and all-cause mortality. This risk factor is also among the most preventable causes of cancer. This article describes current evidence-based guidelines for weight management and physical activity for cancer survivors. The authors also discuss practical interventions to help survivors undertake behavioral c...

It is highly recommended to promptly assess motivation and readiness to change (RTC) in individuals who wish to achieve significant lifestyle behavior changes in order to improve their health, overall quality of life, and well-being. In particular, motivation should be assessed for those who face the difficult task to maintain weight, which implies a double challenge: weight loss initially and ...

OBJECTIVE To identify women's patterns of readiness to engage in weight self-management behaviors during the postpartum period. DESIGN Prospective, longitudinal design with repeated measures, guided by the transtheoretical model of behavior change (TTM). SETTING A tertiary perinatal center in an urban setting in the midwestern United States with approximately 3,000 births annually. PARTIC...

Owing to the recent success of the Transtheoretical Model of behavior change and the possible relationships between health behaviors, this study investigated the stage distribution of 10 healthy behaviors (seatbelt use, avoidance of high fat food, eating a high-fiber diet, attempting to lose weight, exercising regularly, avoiding sun exposure, sunscreen use, attempting to reduce stress, stoppin...

Empirically validated psychosocial therapies for individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia were described in the report of the Schizophrenia Patient Outcomes Research Team (PORT, 2009). The PORT team identified eight psychosocial treatments: assertive community treatment, supported employment, cognitive behavioral therapy, family-based services, token economy, skills training, psychosocial inter...

A qualitative study was undertaken with five people on methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) to better understand their experiences and daily routines. Through an in-depth exploration of their everyday occupations, we sought to reveal the ongoing challenges and barriers they face to accessing treatment. The concept of occupation refers to ‘all that people need, want and are required to do’ but ...

Comparative effectiveness research (CER) can make important contributions to the transformation of US health care by filling gaps left by tightly controlled clinical trials. However, without comprehensive and comparable data that reflect the diversity of the US health-care system, CER's value will be diminished. We document the limits of observational CER by examining the age at diagnosis, dise...