Abstract
Objective. Obesity therapy needs new approaches to complement current phenotyping systems. This study aims to assess associations between the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) ZHENG and obesity phenotypes. Methods. We assessed medical history and habitual physical activity and measured body composition, fasting plasma glucose and insulin, and lipids. We collected TCM data through face-to-face interview. ZHENG elements (essentials and locations) were identified by TCM practitioner. Primary ZHENG was assessed by cluster analysis. Results. In 140 consecutive subjects enrolled in a university clinic (body mass index (BMI): 39.9 ± 5.8 kg/m2), ZHENG essentials were identified as “QiXu,” “Re,” “YinXu,” and “TanShi” (totally 86.8%). Locations were “Shen,” “Wei,” “Pi,” and “Gan” (totally 91.8%). Four types of primary ZHENG were identified: A (37.1% of subjects), B (16.5%), C (35.7%), and D (10.7%). Subjects in type D showed elevated BMI, total fat mass (FM), FM index, trunk FM, and less physical activity, as compared with others. Subjects in type B changed regional body composition (reduced trunk FM% and elevated appendicular FM%). Biological parameters did not differ across primary ZHENG clusters. Conclusions. Obesity phenotypes based on body composition differ according to ZHENG in obese patients. This study is a first step toward understanding the contribution of TCM to obesity phenotyping.
Highlights
There is a global increase in obesity prevalence worldwide including countries undergoing rapid economic development, such as China and India [1]
We investigated ZHENG feature in French obese patients and we assessed relationships of ZHENG to body composition and associated obesity phenotypes
In 140 consecutive obese patients examined during the study period (84% women, 40.3 ± 10.3 y, body mass index (BMI): 39.9 ± 5.8 kg/m2), “QiXu,” “Re,” “YinXu,” and “TanShi” were the main ZHENG essentials
Summary
There is a global increase in obesity prevalence worldwide including countries undergoing rapid economic development, such as China and India [1]. A Chinese nutrition survey shows that the prevalence of overweight and obesity was 19.2% and 15.0%, respectively [2]. The medico-economic impact is significant because of its close associations with diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disturbances, and certain cancers [3, 4]. The effectiveness of obesity management is a key issue. Therapeutic progress relies on identifications of new therapeutic targets, developments of new pharmacological agents, and advanced knowledge of basic mechanisms leading to obesity and its complications. All of the above depend on a better phenotypic characterization of an extreme heterogeneousness condition in both its origins and consequences
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