Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2003 Jan; 82(1): 69-73.

Laser acupuncture and low-calorie diet during visceral obesity therapy after menopause.

Wozniak P, Stachowiak G, PiÃªta-DoliÃ±ska A, Oszukowski P.

Specialistic Outpatient Clinics of Obstetrics and Female Diseases, Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital, Research Institute, LÃ³d, Poland. wozniak@mazurek.man.lodz.pl

BACKGROUND: To compare the efficiency of low-calorie diet and low-calorie diet applied together with laser acupuncture in the therapy of visceral obesity in postmenopausal women. METHODS: The study population consisted of 74 postmenopausal females with visceral obesity who were divided into two groups according to an employed 6-month slimming procedure. In the first group (n = 36) a low-calorie diet was applied, while women in the second group (n = 38) were on the same kind of diet, having additionally one cycle of laser acupuncture procedure at the same time. At baseline and at the end of the study, body weight, body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio were determined in all women. RESULTS: After 6 trial months both groups exhibited a statistically significant drop in body weight, body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio. The mean reduction of body weight, body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio was significantly higher in the second group of women (laser acupuncture plus low-calorie diet). CONCLUSIONS: (1) Our results testify that the combination of a low-calorie diet and laser acupuncture is characterized by a higher efficacy than a low-calorie diet alone in lowering body weight, body mass index and waist-to-hip-ratio. (2) Laser acupuncture is an additional useful healing method in the therapy of visceral postmenopausal obesity.