Acupuncture for Body Weight Control
Obesity
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Obesity focused on measuring acupuncture, Chinese Medicine, obesity
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- aged between 18 and 65 years old;
- body mass index (BMI)≥25 kg/m2;
- having not received any other weight control measures or any medical and/or drug history within the last 3 months.
Exclusion Criteria:
- endocrine diseases;
- heart diseases;
- patients with pacemaker;
- allergy and immunology diseases;
- having bleeding tendency;
- pregnant or lactating women;
- having impaired hepatic or renal function;
- stroke or otherwise unable to exercise.
Sites / Locations
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Sham Comparator
Acupuncture group
Control group
Eight body acupuncture points will be chosen as Tianshu(ST-25), Daheng(SP-15), Daimai(GB-26), Qihai(CV-6), Zhongwan(CV-12), Zusanli(ST-36), Fenlong(ST-40), Sanyinjiao(SP-6). The needles will be retained for 30 minutes. Participants of the treatment group will additionally receive unilateral auricular acupressure at four auricular points as Hunger, Shen men, Spleen and Stomach with Semen Vaccariae embedded within adhesive tape in each treatment session. Acupressure will be applied by the subjects with repeat pressing of the tape with fingertips for 3 minutes per point, 3 times per day. The embedded tape will be retained in-situ until the next visit and then the alternate side of ear will be treated.
For subjects assigned to control group, Streitberger's non-invasive acupuncture needles (Gauge 8 x 1.2" / 0.30 x 30 mm) will be applied to serve as sham control at the same acupoints with the same stimulation modality, except that the needles are only adhered to the skin instead of insertion. The Semen Vaccariae embedded tape used in treatment group will be applied on 4 non-acupoints at the helix unilaterally, retained until the next visit and then the alternate ear will be used.