| | Study (year) | Country | Population | Modified Jadad score | Sample size | Characteristics of participants (gender, age) | Intervention group treatment | Control group treatment | Frequency/treatment course | Main outcome | Adverse effect |
| | Allison et al. (1995) [20] | USA | Obese adults | 5 | 96 | 16 M/80 F
41.1 | AA device (Acu-Stop 2000) on dominant ear, massaged, 4 times a day | Subjects received wrist acupressure device in dominant side massaged, 4 times a day | Every 2 wks/12 wks | (1) BW, BF, BFM
(2) BP
(3) Compliance | 3 bleeding ears in treatment group |
| | Shafshak (1995) [21] | Egypt | Obese female adults | 3 | 30 | 0 M/30 F
21–35 | Stainless needle AA with ES to AP1 or AP2.
ES duration = 25 mins
AP1: CO4 AP2: HG | Stainless needle AA with ES to sham AP on ear
ES duration = 25 mins | Every day/3 wks | BW | NR |
| | Richards and Marley (1998) [22] | Australia | Overweight adults | 7 | 60 | NR
>18 | ES with AcuSlim device to AP
ES duration = 15–20 mins
AP: CO4, TF4 | ES with AcuSlim device to thumb (without AP)
ES duration = 15–20 mins | Twice daily/4 wks | (1) B
(2) Appetite chang | NR |
| | Hsu et al. (2009) [23] | Taiwan | Obese female adults | 7.5 | 45 | 0 M/45 F
39.5 ± 12.0 | Stainless steel needle (0.2 cm needle point) to AP; no apply any pressure to AP
AP: CO4, CO18, HG, TF4 | Sham AA using placebo needles (without needle point)
AP: CO4, CO18, HG, TF4 | Twice a wk/6 wks | (1) BW, BMI, WC, HC
(2) FBG, TG, TCH, HDL-C, LDL-C
(3) Insulin, leptin, adiponectin, ghrelin, HOMA-IR | 1 mild inflammation; 9 mild tenderness cases |
| | Hsieh (2010) [24] | Taiwan | Overweight adolescents | 4 | 84 | 8 M/76 F
18–20 | Auricular acupressure to Japanese Magnetic Pearl or Vaccaria seeds | Acupressure tape ( cm) on ear | NR/8 wks | (1) BMI
(2) TCH, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C | NR |
| | Hsieh et al. (2011) [26] | China | Overweight adults | 3 | 200 | NR
18–65 | Vaccaria seeds to AP; applied pressure to each AP for 30–50 times before eating
AP: CO4, CO17, CO18, TF4 | Needle AA on sham AP on the body | Every two days/12 wks | (1) BW, BMI, BF
(2) TCH, TG
(3) FINS, HOMA-IR | NR |
| | Hsieh et al. (2011) [25] | Taiwan | Young adults with abdominal obesity | 4 | 55 | 5 M/50 F
18–20 | Acupressure with Japanese Magnetic Pearl on AP
AP: CO1, CO4, CO6, CO18, TF4 | Adhesive tape to AP
AP: CO1, CO4, CO6, CO18,
TF4 | NR/8 wks | BW, WC | NR |
| | Abdi et al. (2012) [27] | Iran | Overweight adults | 4 | 169 | NR
38 | Ear pressing plaster with seed to AP
Apply pressure to AP before eating for 20 sec
AP: CO1, CO4, CO17, HG, HX1, TF4 | Ear pressing plaster without seed to sham AP
AP: AH5, CO2, CO13 | Twice a wk/12 wks | (1) B, BM, B, W, H, WHR
(2) FBG, TCH, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, hs-CRP
(3) Anti-HSP2, Anti-HSP6, Anti-HSP6, anti-HSP7 | No adverse effect |
| | Ching et al. (2012) [28] | Taiwan | Overweight schizophrenia patients | 7.5 | 72 | 33 M/39 F
47.8 | Vaccaria seeds to AP. Apply pressure to AP before eating
Each AP for 1 min
AP: CO4, CO18, HG, TF4 | Surgical tape to AP. AP points were not pressed
AP: CO4, CO18, HG, TF4 | Twice a wk/8 wks | BW, BMI, BF | NR |
| | Darbandi et al. (2012) [29] | Iran | Overweight adults | 6 | 86 | 12 M/74 F
37.7 ± 9.5 | Vaccaria seeds to AP. Apply pressure to AP before eating
AP: CO1, CO4, CO17, HG, HX1, TF4 | Ear plaster without seeds to AP
AP: AH5, CO2, CO13, Nose | Twice a wk/6 wks | (1) BW, BMI, BFM
(2) Lepti | No adverse effect |
| | He et al. (2012) [30] | China | Obese female adults | 4.5 | 60 | 0 M/60 F
34 | Vaccaria seeds to AP. Apply pressure on each seed for 30 secs/day
AP: CO4, CO7, CO13, CO18, HG, TF4 | No AA | Every three days/4 wks | BW, BMI, WC | NR |
| | Lien et al. (2012) [31] | Taiwan | Obese female adults | 7.5 | 71 | 0 M/71 F
40.7 ± 11.3 | Apply stainless needles with a 0.2 cm tip or magnetic metal beads to AP
AP: CO4, CO18, HG, TF4 | Sham AA to AP with auricular needle with tips removed (needle without needle points)
AP: CO4, CO18, HG, TF4 | Three times a wk/4 wks | (1) BW, BMI, WC, HC, WHR
(2) FBG, TG, TCH, HDL-C, LDL-C
(3) Adiponectin, insulin, ghrelin, Leptin, HOMA-IR
(4) WHO BREF life-quality scores | 1 account of dizziness after AA |
| | Darbandi et al. (2014) [32] | Iran | Obese male adults | 7.5 | 40 | 40 M
38.5 | Vaccaria seeds to AP on both ears for 3 days. Apply pressure to AP before eating
AP: CO1, CO4, CO17, HG, HX1, TF4 | Sham AA with plasters to AP on both ears for 3 days.
Apply pressure to AP before eating
AP: CO2, CO13, AH5 | Twice a wk/6 wks | BW, BMI, BFM, HC | No adverse effect |
| | Kim et al. (2014) [33] | South Korea | Obese female young adults | 5 | 49 | 0 M/49 F
20.7 ± 1.1 | Three Sinapis alba seeds to each AP. Apply pressure to AP for 5 secs 10 times/point, three courses/day
AP: CO1, CO4, CO6, TF4 | NO AA | Weekly/4 wks | (1) B, BM, BF, WHR
(2) Self-efficacy scal | NR |
| | Schukro et al. (2014) [34] | Austria | Obese female individuals | 7 | 42 | 0 M/42 F | ES with a P-Stim device
AP: CO4, CO7, HG | P-Stim® dummy (no power supply)
AP: CO4, CO7, HG | Weekly/6 wks | B, BM, BF | NR |
| | Yeo et al. (2014) [35] | South Korea | Overweight adults | 6.5 | 58 | 6 M/52 F
38.6 ± 11.8 | Acupuncture needle on AP1 or AP2
AP1: CO1, CO4, CO6, CO18, HX1; AP2: HG | Sham AA, removed immediately after insertion; AP: CO1, CO4, CO6, CO18, HX1 | Weekly/8 wks | (1) B, BM, W, BF, BF
(2) BP | NR |
| | Yeh et al. (2015) [36] | Taiwan | Obese adults | 7.5 | 70 | 35 M/35 F
31.3 ± 8.8 | ES to AP and then apply pressure to each AP with Vaccaria seeds for 1 min 4 times/day
AP: CO4, CO18, HG, TF4 | ES to sham AP. Apply pressure to each AP with Vaccaria seeds for 1 min 4 times/day
AP: AH3, SF3, SF4, SF6 | Weekly/10 wks | (1) BMI
(2) BP, TCH, TG
(3) Adiponectin, leptin | NR |
| | Hsu (2016) [37] | China | Overweight adults | 3 | 120 | 73 M/47 F
38.7 ± 10.0 | Vaccaria seeds to AP on each ear alternating every 2 days
AP: CO17, CO18, HG, TF4 | Needle AA to sham AP on body | Every 2 days/12 wks | (1) BW, BMI, BF
(2) TCH, TG
(3) FINS, HOMA-IR | NR |
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