Enhancing the efficacy of behavior therapy for obesity: Effects of aerobic exercise and a multicomponent maintenance program.

Tested whether the efficacy of behavior therapy for obesity might be improved by the programmatic additions of an aerobic exercise regimen during treatment and a multicomponent maintenance program following treatment. 14 male and 76 female obese 22–60 yr olds were randomly assigned to 2 treatment conditions (behavior therapy or behavior therapy plus aerobic exercise) and 2 posttreatment conditions (no further contact or a multicomponent maintenance program). The exercise regimen consisted of 80 min/week of brisk walking or stationary cycling. The maintenance program included therapist contact by telephone and mail and peer self-help group meetings. At posttreatment, Ss in the behavior therapy plus aerobic exercise condition lost significantly more weight than those who received behavior therapy only. Over an 18-mo follow-up period, maintenance program participants demonstrated significantly better weight-loss progress than Ss in the no-further-contact condition.