Psychology Behind Obesity – Long-term Weight Loss Success
September 10, 2025Psychology Behind Obesity: When addressing a chronic disease like obesity, one must look at multiple factors and not simply the number on the scale. Exercise is an important component, especially when it comes to muscle preservation and maintenance of a stable metabolic rate.
Proper nutrition is crucial for the maintenance of a consistent weight and, most importantly, to make sure that you stay healthy and reduce the level of inflammation in the body. The last component is the psychology behind behavior modification. In this blog, we shall take a closer look at the components of psychology that play a crucial role in helping people deal with the challenge of impulsivity, unhealthy interaction with food, and the contribution of depression/anxiety/food addiction. Please consider looking at the two sources provided at the end of the article, as they will give you a very comprehensive look at this serious topic.
3 Main Components Of Long-Term Lifestyle Modification
The three main components of long-term lifestyle modification are: Reward sensitivity, impulsivity, and underlying psychological/psychiatric conditions that can coexist.
Reward Sensitivity
Reward Sensitivity (RS)—Anything that gives a person pleasure, food in our case, will affect people differently based on the sensitivity to that reward. The higher the reward sensitivity, the greater the risk that the person will become addicted to a particular behavior or substance. Working closely with a psychologist in patients with food addiction creates a positive environment to help people. Addiction to drugs, alcohol, or gambling activates the same portions of the brain (nucleus accumbens and dorsal striatum). You have seen an example of this before. A group of people get together and eat a dessert. Most end up walking away after 1 slice of cake, but a few can’t stop with just one. There is far more biology in the brain than simply being able to say no. Research has shown that people who have a high reward sensitivity are more likely to have a food addiction.
Impulse Control
Impulse control—This is a tough one. Most normal-weight individuals believe that a person simply has to have enough willpower to walk away from certain foods or control the portion size. The prefrontal cortex plays an important role in helping with impulse control. People that have a difficult time with impulse control tend to have a higher incidence of ADHD. Working with a psychologist and nutritionist, the person can be taught mindfulness as a powerful tool to combat the immediate urges and difficulty declining these urges.
Underlying psychological or psychiatric conditions
Underlying psychological or psychiatric conditions such as depression, anxiety, and binge eating disorder can all contribute to weight gain. It also works in reverse. Those suffering from obesity have a higher incidence of the previously mentioned psychiatric conditions. The combination of psychological and psychiatric intervention provides the best chance to improve these symptoms. Once these psychiatric conditions are treated, they usually don’t get cured; the person is better able to work on the other components of successful behavior modification.
Putting It All Together
Putting it all together, behavioral modification is a complex topic with multiple moving parts. It is very useful when one can accept that this is not a simple moral shortcoming but is a treatable condition that benefits greatly from multiple specialists working together. Depending on the psychological assistance the person needs, it is possible and necessary to address the underlying psychology behind weight gain with an eye towards the long-term plan for weight loss. Treatments such as cognitive behavioral modification (CBT), dialectic behavior modification, and mindfulness all play a vital role in giving an individual greater control over interaction with food.
Remember, the blame game stops here! It isn’t a question of self-control or willpower. The medical weight loss team gives the person the best chance of getting healthier and losing weight.
Stay Healthy, Stay Strong! - Dr. Leon Katz
This information is for educational purposes. Please discuss this with your doctor or nurse practitioner prior to pursuing these medications.
Source:
- Emotional eating interventions for adults living with overweight or obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis ; Jo Smith et al. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(3), 2722;
- Applying psycho‑behavioural phenotyping in obesity characterization Lucía Camacho‑Barcia et al. Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders (2023) 24:871–883 https://bit.ly/3XCLscA
Dr. Leon Katz MD, FACS, FASMBS, currently practices at Dr. Leon Katz Medical Weight Loss Center.
 | ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Leon Katz MD, FACS, FASMBS, is a bariatrician specializing in non-surgical, medically supervised weight loss. He focuses on patients seeking alternatives to surgery and those needing care after bariatric procedures. Dr. Katz was recently the director of a major medical weight loss program. With extensive experience in establishing successful weight management programs, he now concentrates exclusively on non-surgical weight loss solutions. Dr. Katz is a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine and Fellow of American College of Surgeons. Dr. Katz currently practices at Dr. Leon Katz Medical Weight Loss Center.Read more articles by Dr. Katz! |
