Evaluation of an outpatient psychoeducational movement program for obesity

Movement therapeutic programs are regarded as irreplaceable in the treatment of obesity and have generally been accepted as well established components of inpatient and outpatient multimodal therapeutic concepts. The effectiveness of movement therapeutic interventions is measured in terms of weight reduction and physiological effects. Psychological effects of sport activities on e. g. quality of life and body concept and their possible links with behaviour therapy programs, however, have less been taken into consideration. This study is based on a controlled design and examines the physiological and psychological effects of a specific outpatient movement therapeutic treatment in a two-group comparison (N = 58, BMI < 35). 30 participants were treated according to a standardized outpatient psychoeducational movement program over a period of eight weeks. The participants of the control group (n = 28) took part in a fitness training program over the same treatment period. The results suggest that the outpatient psycoeducational movement program is therapeutically relevant for a successful long-term therapy of obesity.