Development of the program PsicoObe, a psychotherapeutic group intervention for people with obesity, and pilot study on its effects

Abstract

A 21-session psychotherapy group program for people with obesity, developed and implemented in a public hospital in Madrid, is described and the pilot study where program effects were assessed is presented. Changes in body weight, eating patterns and the impact on psychological functioning variables were evaluated in 17 patients at the beginning of the study, at the end of the intervention and six months later. Program completion was associated with progressive body weight loss, decreased risk of eating disorders, lower levels of general distress, as well as an improvement in dietary habits and greater personal commitment to self-care. In conclusion, the results suggest that the PsicoObe program could reduce not only body weight and dysfunctional eating behavior, but also psychopathology and distress variables. These findings show promising results, although a randomized controlled trial with a bigger sample is required in order to assess intervention efficacy.