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Obesity is a significant and wide-ranging health and social problem in the United States. Occupational therapy is a health care profession that is qualified to provide interventions with individuals, groups, and society to effect change to promote optimum health. Occupational therapy services are often used directly and indirectly to influence weight management and related health concerns through attention to lifestyle and engagement in fulfilling activities. The purpose of this paper is to explain to persons within and outside of the profession the role of occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants1 in addressing the impact of obesity on people's ability to engage in daily activities.
Overview of Domain and Process of Occupational Therapy
Since its founding, occupational therapy has been a healing profession whose practitioners "focus on assisting people to engage in daily life activities that they find meaningful and purposeful" (American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA], 2002, p. 610). Occupational therapy practitioners2 apply their knowledge about engagement in occupation-that is, "everyday life activity" (AOTA, 2002)-to help clients who may be experiencing disease, impairment, disability, dissatisfaction, or adverse circumstances to participate in their daily life in a manner that supports their health and well-being. By working with clients from this perspective, occupational therapy practitioners use everyday life activities therapeutically to improve the health and quality of life of consumers and to prevent future disease or illness. AOTA and its members are committed to improving individual quality of life; promoting community health; and supporting primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention for the management of obesity (AOTA, 2006a). This paper illustrates the growing dangers of the obesity epidemic on health and describes the specific and effective services provided by occupational therapy practitioners in a variety of practice settings for clients at risk for or experiencing the negative health effects of obesity throughout the life span. It also explains how the occupational therapy profession provides expertise and leadership in working with the problem of obesity in our society as it affects individuals, families, groups, and populations across the life span.
Background on the Issue of Obesity
Being overweight (defined as having a body mass index [BMI] of 25 to 30) or obese reduces the likelihood of a person's participation in physical activity, including leisure time activity (Trost, Owen, Bauman, Sallis, &...