Behavioral weight reduction program for mentally retarded adult females

Behavioral treatment approaches to obesity in 17 mild-to-moderate retarded female adults were assigned to one of two experimental conditions, (a) behavioral self-control along with a physical activity component and (b) behavioral self-control. No significant differences were noted between groups on the indices of body weight and tricep skinfold thickness. A one-way analysis of variance with a repeated measure yielded a significant main effect of time for change in weight for both groups at the end of the 8-week treatment. Questions were raised about the possible role of nonspecific motivational factors versus cognitive factors in behavioral-weight reduction programs.