Effect of laser acupuncture on obesity: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Chi-Chuan Tseng1,2, Alan Tseng3, Chia-Hao Chang4,5
1Division of Chinese Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, 61363, Taiwan. acupmox@hotmail.com.
Background:
Obesity-related diseases have a profound economic impact on health care systems. Laser acupuncture has been shown to have beneficial effects on obesity. However, to our knowledge, those trials were either non-randomized, non-blinded or included low-calorie diet control. We have, therefore, designed a patient-assessor-blinded, randomized, sham-controlled crossover trial to investigate the significance of laser acupuncture on obesity.
Methods/Design:
104 subjects above 20 years of age with a body mass index (BMI) of over 25 kg/m(2) will be divided into 2 groups: experimental and control. Each subject will receive the treatment relevant to their group 3 times a week for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks of treatment the subject will enter a 2-week washout period, after which the subjects will switch groups. Measurements will include BMI, body fat percentage, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist circumference, hip circumference, skinfold thickness, thigh circumference, body fat, blood pressure, heart rate, hunger and the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36).
Discussion:
The results of this study will provide the basis for future large-scale multicenter trials investigating the effects of laser acupuncture on obesity.
Trial Registration:
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02167308 ; registration date: 14 June 2014.
