Objective: This research work consists of two parts, clinical research and the research of mechanism, aiming at the investigation on the treatment of simple obesity with acupuncture.

Methods: 32l8 cases of simple obesity were treated with acupuncture on the basis of the principle of "treatment in accordance with syndrome differentiation." The criteria of both traditional Chinese and western medicine were integrated in making diagnosis and evaluating the curative effect. In addition to the body weight, other quantitative indices of obesity e.g. percentage of body fat, index of body weight, etc. were also taken into consideration. Satisfactory effect was acquired in this research..
　　
Result: l-course (l month) effective rate was 87.0%. 2-course (2 months) effective rate was 95.0%. 386 cases was given the follow-up survey l year after the treatment was finished, and it has been found that the l-course follow-up effective rate was 8l.4%, while the 2-course follow-up effective rate was 90.o%

Conclusion: In this research work, the etiology pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treating prescriptions concerning the syndromes of obesity were thoroughly studied and at meanwhile the techniques of acupuncture such as insertion of needles, angle and depth of needling, the reinforcing and reducing methods, arrival of Qi and needling sensation, and the amplitude and frequency of needling manipulation, and the methods of moxibustion were also discussed. At length the acupuncture therapy for treating obesity and its complications, Which is of notable but long-term curative effect, simple and easy grasp, is established.

This research work, by means of clinical and experimental research concentrates on the influence of acupuncture on the obese body. The research has proved that through the regulation to the nerve system with the hypothalamus as the nucleus, on one hand acupuncture could influence the ingestion behavior of the obese body, i.e. acupuncture can inhibit the hyperactivity of the hunger center (LHA) and excite the satiety center (VMH), thus inhibiting the ingestion; and on the other hand it regulates the disordered autonomic nervous functions of the obese body, enhancing the sympathetic nerve's function and reducing the hyperactive parasympathetic function, so the heat production of the tissues is reinforced and subsequently the energy consumption of the body is increased, simultaneously the hyperactive digestive function of the patients is counteracted and the intake of energy is decreased. Furthermore, the secretion of hormone could be influenced through the hypothalarnus-hypophysis-target gland axis, the disturbed metabolism of energy g1ucose and lipid of the obese body is readjusted. By means of the influence on the nervous hormone and cellular regulation, acupuncture can regulate multipolarly and multimedialy the imbalanced condition of the obesity, convert the metabolic abnormality, reduce the intake of energy, increase the consumption of energy, and finally achieve the effect of weight reduction.

By Liu Zhicheng, Sun Fengmin, etc.