Cross-Border Contributions to Obesity Research and Interventions: A Review of Canadian and American Occupational Therapy Contributions

ABSTRACT

This paper identifies the contributions of Canadian and American occupational therapists to the empirical discourse on obesity. This scoping study includes an independent review of the published literature followed by a series of meetings during which key themes and contributions were categorized. The Person, Environment, Occupation, and Performance Model (Baum & Christiansen, 2005) was used to organize the themes reported in the literature. Although occupational therapists contribute to knowledge about body systems and functions as well as activity limitations and participation restrictions for persons with obesity, the majority of work has a focus on the environment and the person, with limited attention to occupation. Occupational therapy practitioners and researchers are contributing in areas valued in obesity research and practice but can do more to promote consideration of the interaction of personal, environmental, and occupational factors which may cause obesity or contribute to the participation in everyday living for persons with obesity.

KEYWORDS. :

• Obesity
• occupational therapy
• review