Evaluate one or more treatments for obesity.

Refer to the paper 2 assessment criteria when awarding marks.

The command term “evaluate” requires candidates to make an appraisal of one or more treatments for obesity by weighing up the strengths and the limitations of each. Although a discussion of both strengths and limitations is required, it does not have to be evenly balanced to gain high marks.

Treatment choices include, but are not limited to:

• the behavioural programme developed by Stuart and Davis (1972) for a clinical setting
• cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) combined with dieting (eg Beck, 2005)
• the psycho-social method proposed by Blair-West (2007) that combines goal setting, diet, physical activity and cognitive awareness
• drug treatments such as appetite suppressants and lipase inhibitors
• surgical procedures such as gastric bypass and gastric banding
• treatments such as Weight Watchers.

Evaluation of the treatments may include, but is not limited to:

• cultural and gender considerations
• empirical findings
• ethical considerations
• conditions where the treatments may be employed
• comparison to other treatment methods.

Candidates may address one treatment in order to demonstrate depth of knowledge or may address a larger number of treatments in order to demonstrate breadth of knowledge. Both approaches are equally acceptable.

If a candidate addresses only strengths or only limitations, the response should be awarded up to a maximum of [5] for critical thinking and up to a maximum of [2] for organization. Up to full marks may be awarded for knowledge and comprehension.

Responses that only address prevention strategies should be awarded up to a maximum of [3] for criterion A, knowledge and comprehension, up to a maximum of [3] for criterion B, critical thinking, and up to a maximum of [2] for criterion C, organization.