OBJECTIVETo observe the influence of acupuncture on sebum thickness and the characteristic in the female obese patient of different types.

METHODSNinety-eight female obese patients were divided into 2 groups: an abdominal obesity group (n = 40) and an obesity group (n = 58). All of the patients in the two groups were treated by acupuncture at Zhongwan (CV 12), Chengman (ST 20), Tianshu (ST 25), Shuidao (ST 28), Qihai (CV 6), Zusanli (ST 36), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), etc. with electric stimulation, and in combination with ear point taping and pressing, for one month. Body weight index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), the sebum thickness of the upper limb (point A: at the inferior border of the right deltoid muscle and the midpoint of the lateral of arm), the trunk (point B: the inferior angle of right scapula) and the abdomen (point C: 3 cm right lateral to the navel; point D: the right anterior superior iliac) were observed and compared before and after treatment in the two groups.

RESULTSThere were significant differences before and after treatment in BMI, WC and the sebum thickness of points A, B, C and D in the two groups (P < 0.01), and the sebum thickness in the point C significantly changed as compared with those in other 3 points (P < 0.05) in the two groups. In the abdominal obesity group, change of BMI was very significantly positively correlated with changes of WC and sebum thickness in the point C, and significantly positively correlated to point A (P < 0.05), with the correlated coefficient [r(WC/BMI)] > [ r(C/BMI)] > [r(A/BMI); change of WC was very significantly positively correlated to point C (P < 0.01). In the obesity group, the change of BMI was very significantly positively correlated to WC (P < 0.01) and significantly positively correlated to the sebum thickness's change of point B (P < 0.05), while WC change was very significantly positively correlated to point B and C (P < 0.01) and significantly positively to point D (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONAcupuncture can effectively reduce the body weight, WC and subcutaneous fat in various parts of the body and selectively reduce the over fat of different places in both the obesity patient and the abdominal fat patient with exceeding standard of WC.