Effects of electroacupuncture in reducing weight and waist circumference in obese women: a randomized crossover trial.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effects of weight control on simple obese women between electroacupuncture and sit-up exercise.


METHODS
Randomized and crossover trial conducted from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2002. The subjects were randomly divided into groups A and B. Group A received electroacupuncture treatment first while group B received sit-up exercise treatment first. After 6 weeks of treatment and 7 days of washout, group A switched to sit-up exercise treatment and group B received electroacupuncture treatment for another 6 weeks.


METHODS
In total, 54 simple obese women, with waist circumference (WC)>90 cm and body mass index (BMI)>30 kg/m(2), and who had not received any other weight control maneuver within the last 3 months.


METHODS
The measurements of body weight (BW), BMI and WC were performed at the beginning, 6, 8 and 13 weeks. The data at different time periods were compared and expressed as % reductions.


RESULTS
Electroacupuncture (n=46) showed significant differences in the % reductions in BW (P=0.001), BMI (P=0.003) and WC (P=0.005) compared with sit-up exercise. At the end of 13 weeks, there were no significant difference between groups A (n=24) and B (n=22) in all the measurements. At the end of the study, groups A and B showed significant differences in the % reductions in BW (P=0.004; 0.001), BMI (P=0.003; 0.021) and WC (P< or =0.001; 0.001) compared with the initial values.


CONCLUSIONS
Electroacupuncture treatment is more effective than sit-up exercise in reducing weight and WC, making it an alternative treatment option for weight and WC control on obese women.
Hsu
C-H
CH
Community Medicine Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Hwang
K-C
KC
Chao
C-L
CL
Lin
J-G
JG
Kao
S-T
ST
Chou
P
P
D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome