Effect of Acupoint Catgut Embedding for Abdominally Obese Female with Strong Appetite: Mixed Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background

Abdominal obesity (AO) is not only a health issue, but also a serious impact on women’s work and life. The article of acupoint catgut embedding (ACE) on AO has already been accepted to be published and showed significant effect. However, whether ACE is effective for abdominally obese female with strong appetite is still unclear.

Methods

This is a mixed analysis of a multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled trial.Which was conducted in China between July 2018 and March 2020 (n = 101), while with the supplementary samples (n = 22) between April 2020 and June 2022. According to the appetite and intervention methods, 123 abdominally obese female were divided into ACE group with strong appetite (n = 27) and moderate appetite (n = 31), control (non-acupoint catgut embedding) group with strong appetite (n = 37) and moderate appetite (n = 28). Four subgroups were given a 12-week actual intervention period and a 4-week follow-up. Waist circumference (WC), appetite, body weight and BMI were applied and assessed at baseline and after 6, 12 and 16 weeks.

Results

In this study, the mean onset age of abdominal obesity in females was 25.27 (8.19) years old. The longer duration of AO, the lower the appetite in females (p<0.05). At 12 and 16 weeks, ACE group with strong appetite showed significant decrease in WC and appetite than control group with strong appetite (p<0.01). However, ACE group with moderate appetite showed no significant decrease than control group with moderate appetite in WC, appetite, body weight and BMI (p>0.05). At 12 and 16 weeks, there was no significant difference in appetite between the ACE groups (strong and moderate appetite)(p>0.05), while there was still a difference between the control groups (p<0.05).

Conclusion

Younger abdominally obese female had a stronger appetite. ACE own the remarkable therapeutic effects for younger abdominally obese female and showed the perfect effect on appetite-reduction.

Keywords:

• acupoint catgut embedding
• abdominal obesity
• obese female
• appetite
• waist circumference

Abbreviations

ACE, acupoint catgut embedding; AO, abdominal obesity; BMI, body mass index; RCT, randomized controlled trial; VAS, visual analogue scale; WC, waist circumference.

Data Sharing Statement

Data can be obtained by contacting the corresponding author after publication of this article.

Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate

The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. The study was registered in Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR1800016947), and approved by the Hospital Ethics Committee of The Sports Trauma Specialist Hospital of Yunnan Province (2018CK-001). All participants were fully informed and signed written informed consent forms.

Author Contributions

All authors made a significant contribution to the work reported, whether that is in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation, or in all these areas; took part in drafting, revising or critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors declare no conflicts of interest in this work.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Yunnan Expert Workstation: Liang Fanrong Station (No.2018IC101); Yunnan Province Ten-thousand Plan: Youth Special (No.YNWR-QNBJ-2019-257); Yunnan Provincial Science Project (No.2017FF117-011, 2019FF002-021, 202101AZ070001-096).