DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY
Center for Weight and Eating Disorders

Thomas A. Wadden, Ph. D.

Thomas A.Wadden, Ph.D. is Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Director of the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders. He received his A.B. in 1975 from Brown University and his doctorate in clinical psychology in 1981 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Dr. Wadden's principal research is on the treatment of obesity by methods that have included lifestyle modification, very-low-calorie diets, exercise, medication, and surgery. He has also investigated the metabolic and psychosocial consequences of obesity and weight loss. He has published over 220 scientific papers and book chapters and has co-edited four books, the most recent of which is Obesity: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals (with Albert J. Stunkard and Robert I. Berkowitz). His research has been supported for more than 20 years by grants from the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Wadden serves on NIH's Clinical Obesity Research Program (CORP) and on the editorial boards of International Journal of Eating Disorders, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, and Obesity Research. Dr. Wadden has served as President of the Obesity Society and currently is an associate editor of Obesity, the journal published by the Obesity Society

Dr. Wadden may be contacted at the University of Pennsylvania, 3535 Market Street, Suite 3029, Philadelphia, PA 19104. His e-mail address is: Wadden@mail.med.upenn.edu.

Recent publications include:

Aronne LJ, Wadden T, Isoldi KK, Woodowrth KA. When prevention fails: obesity treatment strategies. Am J Med. 2009;122:S24-32.

Tsai AG, Wadden TA, Sarwer DB et al. Metabolic syndrome and health-related quality of life in obese individuals seeking weight reduction. Obesity. 2008;16:59-63.

Wadden TA, Sarwer DB, Fabricatore AN et al. Psychosocial and behavioral status of patients undergoing bariatric surgery: what to expect before and after surgery. Med Clin North Am. 2007;91:451-69.

Wadden TA, West DS, Neiberg RH et al; Look AHEAD Research Group. One-year weight losses in the Look AHEAD study: factors associated with success. Obesity. 2009;17:713-22.

Wing RR, Wadden TA, Espeland M. Surgical vs behavioral therapy for weight loss in patients with type 2 diabetes. JAMA. 2008;299:2146.