Acupuncture for Obesity on Serum Metabolic Parameters

Inclusion Criteria: * volunteers through announcements and advertisements * premenopausal adult women (19 years of age or more) * clinical diagnosis of obesity (Body mass index: 25 kg/m2 or more) Exclusion Criteria: * previously or currently having endocrine disease such as hypothyroidism or Cushing's syndrome, heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, malignant tumor, cholelithiasis, severe kidney impairment, severe liver impairment, anorexia nervosa or hyperorexia * experience of taking medicines which might affect body weight and the concentration of serum metabolic parameters such as anorectic, laxative, oral steroid, thyroid hormone, amphetamine, cyproheptadine, phenothiazine, or medicines affecting absorption, metabolism, and excretion in the past 3 months * experience of taking beta-blocker or diuretic for the treatment of hypertension in the past 3 months * surgical treatment for the treatment of obesity * currently or might be pregnant or breast-feeding * experience of taking other experimental medicines in the past month * weight loss of 10% or more of previous body weight in the past 6 months * who stopped smoking in the past 3 months or who have irregular smoking habit * pacemaker * currently receiving any treatment for obesity * other inadequate subjects assessed by the study investigators