Understanding Matters of the Mind in Obesity

Abstract

Obesity is a growing global concern, and Singapore is not spared from the global epidemic. Apart from the increased risk for many serious diseases and health conditions, obese individuals are vulnerable to many psychological comorbidities. Obesity management through lifestyle changes can be limited by various barriers, increasing the challenge of implementation and leaving some clinicians feeling frustrated and stressed. The paper examines the barriers identified in the literature, discusses the use of cognitive behavioural concepts and techniques to facilitate the lifestyle change process and explores the use of motivation and readiness to change to guide the clinician’s strategies.

Current treatment landscape for obesity in Singapore

“…[ 6 ] Of note, cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) was effective in increasing adherence to recommended weight loss behaviour, and weight loss programmes that included CBT strategies were found to achieve greater weight loss. [ 19 ]…”

Augmenting the role of higher education institutions in lifelong learning: Designing an indicator framework for policy application

“…Since the launch of SkillsFuture, it has been reiterated that having qualifications and being competent at a current job are no longer sufficient to keep pace with the needs of fast-evolving economies. It is skills which now carry a premium and need to be honed throughout individuals' lifetimes (Toh, 2017). Given that the development of skills through continuing education and training had not been the primary remit of higher education institutions, as part of the SkillsFuture movement, all public universities set up a lifelong learning unit in 2016 to deliver shorter courses geared towards mid-career adults (Basu, 2016).…”