Effects of Auricular Acupressure on Obesity in Women with Abdominal Obesity

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of auricular acupressure on reducing obesity in adult women with abdominal obesity. Methods: The study design was a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. Participants were 58 women, aged 20 years or older, assigned to the experimental group (n=30) or control group (n=28). Auricular acupressure using vaccaria seeds was administered to the experimental group. The sessions continued for 8 weeks. Outcome measures included body weight, abdominal circumference, and body mass index, body fat mass, body fat percentage, triglyceride, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and serum glucose. Results: Women in the experimental group showed significant decreases in body weight (t=6.19, p < .001), abdominal circumference (t=4.01, p < .001), and body mass index (t=2.58, p = .006) after 8 weeks compared with those in the control group. Conclusion: Results show that auricular acupressure using vaccaria seeds was effective in decreasing body weight, abdominal circumference, body mass index, and triglyceride levels in adult women with abdominal obesity.

Complementary Medicine Therapies That May Assist With Weight Loss: A Narrative Review

“…The exact mechanism for weight loss and reduced adiposity was not determined in either of these studies. 14 However, the authors theorized that the results may have been observed owing to the effects that acupuncture and electroacupuncture have on the appetite. 12 This seems plausible because 6 other studies included in this review have demonstrated that acupuncture and electroacupuncture can alter hormone levels and potentially affect the appetite.…”

Aşırı Kilolu ve Obez Bireylerde Kulak Akupunkturu ve NLP Uygulamalarının Kilo Verme Üzerine Etkinliğinin Karşılaştırılması

“…Obezite tedavisinde akupunktur uygulaması özellikle de kulak akupunkturu etkilidir (9-10). Abdominal obeziteli erişkin kadınlarda kulak akupunkturunun obeziteyi azaltma üzerindeki etkilerinin incelendiği bir çalışmada, karın obezitesine sahip yetişkin kadınlarda, kulak akupunkturunun vücut ağırlığını, karın çevresini, vücut kitle indeksini azaltmada etkili olduğunu göstermiştir (18).…”

The Effects of Auricular Acupressure on Physiological Index, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress for Elders With Hypertension

“…Because it is a noninvasive and noninflammatory intervention that can be easily applied in clinical practice, it can be used in elderly people without concerns about pain and other side effects. 12 Studies on AA have proven effective in people with obesity, 13 constipation, 14 and smoking cessation 15 ; however, few studies have examined the effect of AA on patients with chronic hypertension. A study that applied AA in adults with hypertension showed no effect on blood pressure and pulse reduction, 16 but mental health and body pain improved in quality-of-life items.…”

“…Studies on AA have proven effective in people with obesity,13 constipation,14 and smoking cessation15; however, few studies have examined the effect of AA on patients with chronic hypertension. A study that applied AA in adults with hypertension showed no effect on blood pressure and pulse reduction,16 but mental health and body pain improved in quality-of-life items.…”