Clinical assessment of lifestyle and behavioral factors during weight loss treatment

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of the clinical assessment of lifestyle and behavioral factors in people who present for weight loss treatment. We focus on the clinical evaluation of patients through direction questioning during an in-person evaluation. This includes detailed questions about eating and activity behaviors and their specific contributions to the development of obesity. In addition, these questions assess a number of relevant psychosocial domains, such as mood and self-esteem, which can contribute to the development of obesity as well as successful treatment. These questions can be augmented with psychometrically validated instruments that can be completed in advance of this evaluation to assess specific domains or relevance and interest. Assessment of these factors will allow the practitioner to tailor the treatment approach to the specific needs of a given patient.