Effects of Auricular Acupressure Versus Intermittent Dietary Restriction in Children With Gastric Heat and Dampness Obstruction

Effects of Auricular Acupressure Versus Intermittent Dietary Restriction in Children With Gastric Heat and Dampness Obstruction: a Randomized Controlled Trial

This is a three-month randomized controlled trial to investigate the effects of auricular acupressure versus Intermittent carbohydrate restriction on cardiometabolic risk in obese children with gastric heat and dampness obstruction.

Obesity in childhood is associated with multiple cardiometabolic risk factors including hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia and hypertension, which predicts increased risk for developing obesity-driven complications in adulthood. Auricular acupuncture therapy is an intervention with purported success for the treatment of obesity. However, traditional intervention rarely has long-term success in children and adolescents. Low-carbohydrate diets have also been shown to reduce body weight and improve insulin sensitivity in children.

This is a three-month randomized controlled trial in children with gastric damp-heat obstruction, in order to explore the effects of traditional Chinese medicine auricular acupressure and intermittent carbohydrate restriction on cardiovascular metabolic health.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Have at least one of the following cardiometabolic risk factors: overweight or obesity, prediabetes, dyslipidemia or elevated blood pressure.
• Traditional Chinese medical syndrome type is gastric heat and dampness obstruction syndrome.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Diagnosis of obesity associated with genetic or endocrine diseases, including hypercortisolism, polycystic ovary syndrome, primary hypothyroidism and hypothalamic obesity.
• Participating in other clinical trials or have participated in other clinical trials in recent 3 months.
• Diagnosis of organic diseases, including heart, liver, kidney and brain or infectious diseases and mental diseases.