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Electroacupuncture in obese women: a randomized, controlled pilot study.

Hsu CH, Hwang KC, Chao CL, Chang HH, Chou P

Community Medicine Research Center and Institute of Public Health, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of electroacupuncture and sit-up exercise on reducing body weight (BW) and waist circumference (WC) among obese women. METHODS: A randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted from July 1, 2002, to June 30, 2003, in the outpatient department of Taipei Hospital, Taiwan. The subjects were 72 obese women, with WC>90 cm and body mass index (BMI)>30 kg/m2 and who had not received any other weight control maneuver within the prior 3 months. The subjects were randomly divided into groups A, B, and C. Group A (n=22) received electroacupuncture, group B (n=20) was assigned sit-up exercises, and group C (n=21) received no intervention. All three treatments lasted for 6 weeks. The measurements of BW, BMI, and WC were performed in the beginning and after 6 weeks. The data were compared and expressed as percent reductions. RESULTS: Electroacupuncture showed significantly greater percent reductions in BW (p=0.009, 0.004), BMI (p=0.008, 0.016), and WC (p=0.013, 0.006) compared with sit-up exercises or no intervention. CONCLUSIONS: In this pilot study, electroacupuncture treatment was more effective than situp exercise or no intervention in reducing BW, BMI, and WC.

Published 1 July 2005 in J Womens Health (Larchmt), 14(5): 434-40.
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