Effects of Auricular Acupressure on Korean Children Who are Obese

This study aimed to examine the effects of auricular acupresure on reducing obesity in children who are obese.

The study design was a randomized controlled trial design. Participants aged between 9 and 11 years were 65 children who are obese, divided into the experimental group (n = 31) and control group (n = 34). The sessions continued for 8 weeks. The participants in the experimental and control groups received auricular acupressure using ear pellets (seeds) on 5 acupoints known to be either effective in obesity treatment or ineffective. Outcome measures included body image score, children's depression inventory, Rosenberg self-esteem scale, and anthropometric indices (waist circumference, hip circumference, BMI, etc.).

Children in the experimental group showed significant improvement in waist circumference and hip circumference after 8 weeks compared with those in the control group (p < .001). But no statistically significant difference in body image score, depression score, or self-esteem score emerged before or after auricular acupressure in the experimental and control groups.

Auricular acupressure using ear pellets for eight weeks was effective in decreasing waist and hip circumferences in children who are obese.

Auricular acupressure can be used as an intervention method for children to control obesity.