Cognitive behavioural therapy for obesity: one-year follow-up in a clinical setting.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the most comprehensive means of medically treating obesity, but only few data have so far been published concerning its long-term effectiveness. We here report our experience of 1068 consecutive patients (868 females) treated with CBT at a university-based obesity centre. The patients were enrolled into three different programmes: a 14-week LEARN programme (672 patients), a 16-week MOB programme for the morbidly obese (259 patients), or a 20-week BINGE programme for subjects affected by binge eating (137 patients).

Effects of cognitive-behavioural therapy on health-related quality of life in obese subjects with and without binge eating disorder.

Objective: To measure the effects of cognitive-behavioural therapy on health-related quality of life (HRQL) in obese patients, in relation to binge eating disorder.

Design: Longitudinal, clinical intervention study consisting of structured sessions of cognitive-behavioural therapy, preceded by sessions chaired by a psychologist in subjects with binge eating.

Subjects: Two groups of obese patients (92 treated by cognitive-behavioural therapy (77 females); 76 untreated controls (67 female), selected from the waiting list (control group)).

Mechanisms of action of the intragastric balloon in obesity: effects on hunger and satiety.

We evaluated the effect of a 500-ml intragastric balloon (Ballobes) on some aspects of eating-related behaviour and weight loss on nine massively obese patients. An 800-kcal mixed meal test was performed some days before, 2-3 days and 2 months after the implant of the balloon. A hypocaloric program was started after the second meal test.