Accumulating Data to Optimally Predict obesity Treatment (ADOPT) Core measures: Behavioral Domain

BACKGROUND: The ability to identify and measure behaviors that are related to weight loss and prevention of weight regain is crucial to understanding variability in response to obesity treatment and the development of tailored treatments. OBJECTIVES: The overarching goal of the ADOPT Core Measures project is to provide obesity researchers with guidance on a set of constructs and measures that are related to weight control and that span and integrate obesity-related behavioral, biological, environmental and psychosocial domains. This article describes how the behavioral domain subgroup identified the initial list of high priority constructs and measures to be included, and describes practical considerations for assessing the four behavioral areas: eating, activity, sleep and self-monitoring of weight. We also discuss challenges and considerations for advancing the science related to weight loss and maintenance behaviors. SIGNIFICANCE: Assessing a set of core behavioral measures in combination with those from other ADOPT domains is critical to improve our understanding of individual variability in response to adult obesity treatment. The selection of behavioral measures is based on the current science although there continues to be much work needed in this field.