Research Article

Efficacy and Safety of a Chinese Herbal Medicine Formula (RCM-104) in the Management of Simple Obesity: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

Table 3

Obesity and weight-loss quality of life-your feelings about your weight.

SymptomsStudy periodRCM-104 ( )# value ± SDPlacebo ( ) value ± SD value**

Because of my weight, I try to wear clothes that hide my shapeBaseline
Final
value*<0.0010.0330.021

I feel frustrated that I have less energy because of my weightBaseline
Final
value*<0.0010.0580.025

I feel guilty when I eat because of my weightBaseline
Final
value*<0.0010.0250.093

I am bothered about what other people say about my weightBaseline
Final
value*0.0330.0470.590

Because of my weight, I try to avoid having my photograph takenBaseline
Final
value*0.0020.0160.374

My weight prevents me from doing what I want to doBaseline
Final
value*0.0450.0010.608

I worry about the physical stress that my weight puts on my bodyBaseline
Final
value*0.0030.0280.329

I feel depressed because of my weightBaseline
Final
value*0.0010.1480.106

I feel ugly because of my weightBaseline
Final
value*<0.0010.0020.072

I worry about the future because of my weightBaseline
Final
value*<0.0010.2310.702

I envy people who are thinBaseline
Final
value*<0.0010.3820.267

I feel that people stare at me because of my weightBaseline
Final
value*0.0140.2540.332

I have difficulty accepting my body because of my weightBaseline
Final
value*0.0060.1700.179

I am afraid that I will gain back any weight that I loseBaseline
Final
value*0.0020.0190.149

I get discouraged when I try to lose weightBaseline
Final
value*<0.0010.8480.002

Obesity & Weight-Loss Quality of Life measure (OWLQOL) questionnaires are 7-point scaled: 0 = not at all; 1 = hardly; 2 = somewhat; 3 = moderately; 4 = a good deal; 5 = a great deal; 6 = a very great deal.
*Comparison within the group between baseline and final visits using Wilcoxon signed-rank test.
**Comparison between groups at the end of trial.
For both the above, the values were assessed using Holm’s step-down procedure, with for assessing the smallest value, α = 0.05/16 = 0.0031 for the next smallest value, and so forth. Significant values are indicated in bold.
Note: only symptoms showing small values are displayed.
#Sample size for treatment group reduced from 50 to 48 as Quality of Life data were unavailable for two participants.