Home
Login
Deutsch
Advanced Search
Browse by ...
Publication overview
Contact persons
Help
DOI
 |
|
Open Access Green as soon as Postprint is submitted to ZB.
Beyond weight loss: Integrating GLP-1 RA therapies into psychological and behavioral care for obesity and binge eating disorder.
Rev. Endocr. Metab. Disord., DOI: 10.1007/s11154-026-10047-4 (2026)
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) represent a major advancement in obesity treatment, offering robust efficacy in weight loss and metabolic regulation. Beyond these effects, emerging evidence indicates that GLP-1 RAs also modulate appetite, reward sensitivity, and self-regulation, domains that intersect with behavioral and psychological functioning. This review adopts a biopsychosocial perspective to examine how GLP-1 RAs interact with eating behavior, mood, identity, and self-regulation, particularly in individuals with binge eating disorder (BED) or other psychiatric comorbidities. A clinical framework is proposed to integrate pharmacotherapy with lifestyle and psychological interventions. The temporary reduction in appetite and food reward may create a "low-drive window" in which behavioral strategies such as self-monitoring or stimulus control become more effective. However, high emotional eating, mood symptoms, or identity conflicts may moderate treatment response. Given the high prevalence of psychiatric comorbidities, structured screening using tools like the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) or Binge Eating Scale (BES) is recommended. A stepped-care approach from brief digital interventions to formal psychotherapy may help address varying support needs. Crucially, weight regain after discontinuation is common. The review discusses behavioral, psychological, and social mechanisms of relapse and highlights strategies for long-term stabilization. These include emotion regulation, body image work, and maintenance-focused behavioral interventions. GLP-1 RAs should therefore be seen not as standalone treatments but as facilitators of self-directed, sustainable change within integrated care models. Future research should define composite outcomes, explore digital tools for relapse prevention, and develop adaptive pathways tailored to individual psychological profiles.
Altmetric
Additional Metrics?
Edit extra informations
Login
Publication type
Article: Journal article
Document type
Review
Keywords
GLP-1 receptor agonists; Obesity; Binge eating disorder (BED); Psychiatric comorbidities; Behavior change; Bariatric Surgery; Loss Interventions; Hospital Anxiety; Task-force; Follow-up; Adults; Depression; Food; Overweight; Interview
ISSN (print) / ISBN
1389-9155
e-ISSN
1573-2606
Publisher
Springer
Publishing Place
Boston
Reviewing status
Peer reviewed
Grants
Universittsklinikum Tbingen (8868)