Effects of Self-conditioning Techniques in Promoting Weight Loss in Patients With Obesity. A Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of Self-conditioning Techniques in Promoting Weight Loss in Patients With Obesity. A Randomized Controlled Trial
The investigators hypothesized that hypnosis is an alternative technique that could be
 applied to help patients with obesity to lose weight.

 The possibility that a self-conditioning technique (self-hypnosis) added to traditional
 approach (diet, exercise and behavioral recommendations) will be effective in determining
 weight loss with respect to the traditional approach in subjects with a body mass index (BMI)
 between 35 and 50 kg/m2 will be studied.
Obesity is a serious health concern. Most lifestyle interventions fail over time; indeed,
 overeating often involves loss of control and compulsive behaviors.

 Hypnosis could increase the ability to control emotional impulses. Self-conditioning
 techniques borrowed from hypnosis (self-hypnosis) increase self-control and self-management
 of emotions. Recent hypnosis techniques with a rapid-induction phase allow the trained
 patients to go into self-hypnosis in a few minutes and to repeat the experience in complete
 autonomy, employing a short time of the day only.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Able to give written informed consent

 -  BMI between 35 and 50 kg/m2

 -  Age 20-70 years

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Current or previous mental disorders and/or on any psychotropic drug

 -  Insulin treatment

 -  Candidates for bariatric surgery

 -  Current (or discontinued for less than 6 months) treatment with anti-obesity drugs

 -  Patients at risk of heart failure, edema, ascites (heart diseases, chronic liver
 diseases, nephrotic syndrome, renal failure)

 -  Patients with untreated or uncompensated thyroid diseases