Abstract

PEREIRA, Cláudia Madeira  and  SILVA, Adelina Lopes da. Obesity and Healthy Lifestyles: Relevant Issues to the Intervention. Psic., Saúde & Doenças [online]. 2011, vol.12, n.2, pp.161-182. ISSN 1645-0086.

Obesity is currently considered one of the major public health challenges of the XXI century. The increasing prevalence rate of obesity among children and adolescents makes urgent the development of preventive and interventional strategies. Despite many available treatments result in clinically weight losses, facilitating the long-term maintenance of such losses remains a challenge to clinicians and researchers. In order to promote the design of more effective programs in promotion of sustainable behavioral changes, this article presents a review of the principal theoretical models most used in this area of research and presents the results of empirical studies related to the design and implementation of intervention programs. Finally, with the aim of direct intervention efforts in this area, this article presents a critical reflection about available intervention programs and establishes guidelines for future research.

Keywords : obesity; lifestyle; health promotion; self-regulation; predictors; moderators; intervention; programs.

        · abstract in Portuguese     · text in Portuguese     · Portuguese ( pdf )