OBJECTIVETo compare the therapeutic effects of acupuncture combined with diet adjustment and aerobic exercise and simple diet adjustment combined with aerobic exercise for treatment of simple obesity, in order to scientifically evaluate the therapeutic effect of acupuncture combined with diet adjustment and aerobic exercise for simple obesity.

METHODSSixty-one cases were randomly divided into an observation group (31 cases) and a control group (30 cases). The control group was treated with diet adjustment combined with aerobic exercise, on the basis of this, the observation group was treated with acupuncture at Zhongwan (CV 12), Tianshu (ST 25), Guanyuan (CV 4), Zusanli (ST 36), Fenglong (ST 40) and Yinlingquan (SP 9) etc., once a day, 15 days constituting one course. After three course of treatment, the changes of body weight and waist-hip ratio (WHR) in both groups were observed before and after treatment.

RESULTSAfter one course of treatment, both the body weight and WHR in the observation group were obviously lower than those of control group (both P < 0.05); after two courses of treatment, there were no significant differences of body weight and WHR between two groups (both P > 0.05); after three courses of treatment, the body weight of observation group was obviously lower than that of control group (P < 0.05), there was no significant difference of WHR between two groups (P > 0.05); the body weight and WHR of both groups were obviously decreased after treatment (both P < 0.01); the difference comparison of the body weight in observation group was obviously higher than that of control group before and after treatment (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONBoth two treatments can decrease the body weight and WHR of patients with simple obesity, while the effect of acupuncture combined with diet adjustment and aerobic exercise is more obvious in the early stage of the treatment for body weight and WHR.