Question

You are working at a bariatric center and a patient comes to you for pre-operative exercise counseling. Your role is to assess and counsel/ prescribe patients on exercise prior and post-surgery. With this, each patient must participate in at least 8 weeks of an exercise program prior to surgery.

Patient Profile: the patient is 48 years old, weight is 345 pounds; BMI= 57 kg/m2. She had a recent oral glucose tolerance test result of 285 mg/dl, TC= 290 mg/dl; TG= 560 mg/dl; HDL = 19 mg/dl. She also has sleep apnea and is developing arthritis in both knees. She takes 120 units of Lantus (basal insulin); 25 units Humalog (rapid insulin) per 3 meals; 80 mg of Zocor; 100mg Atenolol; 1500 mg Niaspan and Valsartan 160 mg twice daily.

Her goal with the laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding surgery is to lose 200 pounds and discontinue all her medications. She is getting the surgery so she does not have to try another diet and fail. She also hates to exercise so having this surgery will help her avoid exercising to lose weight. However, she realizes that she has to comply with your 8 week program to get the surgery.

Using the Stages of Change Behavior Theory, what is this patient’s current stage?

Answer 1

Step 1 Introduction:

The change behavioral theory helps to explain human behavior by analyzing the antecedents and consequences present in the individual's environment and the learned associations he or she has acquired through previous experience.

Step 2 Concept:

The Stages of Change Model has been found to be an effective aid in understanding how people go through a change in behavior. In this model, change occurs gradually and relapses are an inevitable part of the process. As the patient has already undergone the surgery process and is keen on losing weight and also has to comply with the eight-week program. The patient is said to be in the maintenance stage where she had to work to prevent relapse and consolidate the gains attained during the surgery. For better results, this stage extends into eight weeks program.