RESUMO
Introduction: Obesity is a rapidly growing health problem in every society. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy on the Body Mass Index [BMI] in women afflicted with obesity in Isfahan
Methods: Through a semi-experimental research with pre-test and post-test design with one month follow-up as well as using convenience sampling method, a number of 30 women with an obesity diagnosis [Body Mass Index, BMI>/=30], who were satisfied with the criteria for entering this research, were randomly incorporated into experiment and control groups [15 each]. The intervention involved 8 sessions each lasting for 90 minutes of acceptance and commitment therapy which was provided merely for experiment group. BMI was calculated by dividing weight [kg] by squared height [m
Results: The result of covariance analysis showed that there were no significant differences in body mass index between the experimental and control groups at post-test stage. But results showed a significant decrease in body mass index at follow up stage [p<0.05]
Conclusion: The study showed that acceptance and commitment therapy can lead to reduction in body mass index in follow up stage, in women afflicted with obesity. Therefore, using this therapeutic approach is recommended for the treatment of obesity