Therapies for weight gain

What are psychosocial treatments for weight gain?

Weight gain is a well documented side effect of many antipsychotic medications. Weight management is important to ensure that the benefits of antipsychotic medications are not outweighed by the increased risk of physical disease. Excessive weight gain is a serious health concern, it is associated not only with reduced quality of life and social stigma, but can affect treatment adherence and increase morbidity (both physical and psychological) and mortality. Behavioural therapies are targeted at changing patterns of behaviour and actions that lead to an unfavourable consequence, while reinforcing favourable behaviours. Pharmacological strategies for weight management are, at best, only moderately effective. As such, the ideal behavioural strategies should combine diet, exercise and psychological/behavioural components.

What is the evidence for psychosocial treatments for weight gain?

Moderate to high quality evidence suggests significant benefit of behavioural therapies, including cognitive behavioural therapy, psycho-education, and nutritional counselling for weight reduction and the prevention of weight gain. The largest benefits were found for weight gain prevention strategies rather than weight reduction, individual therapies, and psycho-education, particularly those that incorporate both a structured diet and exercise regime.

September 2020

Last updated at: 4:12 am, 21st September 2020
To view documentation related to this topic download the files below
Fact Sheet Technical Commentary

NeuRA Libraries

Title Colour Legend:
Green - Topic summary is available.
Orange - Topic summary is being compiled.
Red - Topic summary has no current systematic review available.