ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of acupuncture therapy in the treatment of postpartum obesity subjects. METHODS: A total of 71 postpartum obesity subjects were allocated to treatment group (n=35) and control group (n=36). Participants of the control group were asked to receive weekly nutrition consultation (body-weight management) for calorie intake control during 4 weeks' treatment, and those of the acupuncture group were treated by manual acupuncture stimulation of Zhongwan (CV 12), Zhongji(CV 3), Qihai(CV 6), Shuifen (CV 9), and Guanyuan (CV 4), bilateral Tianshu (ST 25), Guilai (ST 29), Shousanli (LI 10), Zusanli (ST 36), Fenglong (ST 40), and Yinlingquan (SP 9) in combination with nutrition consultation. The treatment was conducted once every other day, continuously for 4 weeks. The body weight(BW), body mass index (BMI), percent of body fat (PBF) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were determined before and after the treatment. RESULTS: After the treatment, the BW, BMI, PBF and WHR in the acupuncture group, and the BW and WHR in the control group were significantly decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05), and the therapeutic effect of the acupuncture group was notably superior to that of the control group in reducing BW and WHR (P<0.05, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture therapy combined with nutritional calorie control has a positive role in relieving obesity in postpartum obesity participants.
