Effect of electroacupuncture on Indonesian patients with excess body weight

Abstract

Excess body weight is a public health problem worldwide. This has led to an increase in the morbidity and mortality of excess body weight-related diseases, such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, and cardiovascular disease. Weight-loss methods include diet, physical activity, behavioral therapy, medications, surgery, and acupuncture. There has been much interest in the management of excess body weight via electroacupuncture (EA) therapy. This study aimed to determine whether EA at ear and/or body acupuncture points can achieve a body weight loss of ≥1% per week in patients with excess body weight. This was a case series with a sample size of 28. The study sample data were taken from the medical records of patients in the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital Acupuncture Clinic who received acupuncture therapy and met the inclusion criteria. The success criterion for body weight loss was a loss of 1%–2% per week from the previous body weight. The percentage of body weight loss in patients with excess body weight was 1.11% per week, with a success rate of 89.28%.