NCT05847478

Brief Summary

This is a three-month randomized controlled trial to investigate the effects of auricular acupressure versus Intermittent carbohydrate restriction on cardiometabolic risk in obese children with gastric heat and dampness obstruction.

Trial Health

77
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
240

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for not_applicable

Timeline
6mo left

Started Jun 2023

Longer than P75 for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
recruiting

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

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Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Progress85%
Jun 2023Dec 2026

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

April 27, 2023

Completed
9 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

May 6, 2023

Completed
1 month until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

June 7, 2023

Completed
3.5 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

November 30, 2026

Expected
1 month until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

December 31, 2026

Last Updated

March 19, 2026

Status Verified

March 1, 2026

Enrollment Period

3.5 years

First QC Date

April 27, 2023

Last Update Submit

March 17, 2026

Conditions

Keywords

Auricular acupressureIntermittent dietary restrictionGastric Heat and Dampness Obstruction

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Changes in body weight

    The body weight will be measured by fixed research staff at baseline and one month after intervention.

    From baseline to one month after intervention

Secondary Outcomes (7)

  • changes in the cumulative score of traditional Chinese medicine syndromes

    From baseline to three month after intervention

  • Changes in glucose metabolism level, including fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, insulin level, etc

    From baseline to three month after intervention

  • Changes in waist-to-height ratio(WtHR), body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure

    From baseline to three month after intervention

  • Changes in body fat content

    From baseline to three month after intervention

  • Changes in blood lipid ,liver and kidney function level

    From baseline to three month after intervention

  • +2 more secondary outcomes

Study Arms (2)

Auricular acupressure therapy group (AAT)

EXPERIMENTAL

The participants will be randomly assigned to receive the auricular point patch therapy. The intervention period is 3 months.

Other: Auricular acupressure of traditional Chinese MedicineBehavioral: Health education

Intermittent low carbohydrate diet group (ILCD)

EXPERIMENTAL

The participants will be randomly assigned to receive the intermittent low carbohydrate diet. The duration of the study is 3 months, including 1-month intervention period and 2-month self maintenance period.

Behavioral: Intermittent low carbohydrate dietBehavioral: Health education

Interventions

Health education is conducted once a week during 3-month intervention for all participants. Health education including the understanding of childhood obesity and cardiovascular disease, how to determine the cardiometabolic risk level, and the lifestyle intervention as caloric restriction and increased physical activity to promote health.

Auricular acupressure therapy group (AAT)Intermittent low carbohydrate diet group (ILCD)

The participants will be randomly assigned to receive the auricular point patch therapy. The selected acupoints include Shenmen, hungry point, endocrine, stomach, mouth and subcortical. The opaque patch with vaccaria seed is used for acupoint pressing. Pressing the acupoints once a day before and after eating, each time for 1 minute, lasting for 2-3 days, follow up visit once a week. The intervention period is 3 months.

Auricular acupressure therapy group (AAT)

The participants will be randomly assigned to the intermittent low carbohydrate diet group. The intermittent carbohydrate diet includes 7 days of low carbohydrate diet within 2 weeks (consecutive or nonconsecutive, carbohydrate intake be controlled as ≤ 50g per day). The study duration is 3 months, including 1-month intervention period and 2-month self-maintenance period.

Intermittent low carbohydrate diet group (ILCD)

Eligibility Criteria

Age6 Years - 18 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsChild (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

  • Have at least one of the following cardiometabolic risk factors: overweight or obesity, prediabetes, dyslipidemia or elevated blood pressure.
  • Traditional Chinese medical syndrome type is gastric heat and dampness obstruction syndrome.

You may not qualify if:

  • Diagnosis of obesity associated with genetic or endocrine diseases, including hypercortisolism, polycystic ovary syndrome, primary hypothyroidism and hypothalamic obesity.
  • Participating in other clinical trials or have participated in other clinical trials in recent 3 months.
  • Diagnosis of organic diseases, including heart, liver, kidney and brain or infectious diseases and mental diseases.

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Children's Hospital of Fudan University

Shanghai, 201102, China

RECRUITING

Related Publications (1)

  • Sun W, He J, Wang W, Lu C, Lin Y, Dou Y, Yan W, Yu J. Auricular Acupressure Versus an Intermittent Low-Carbohydrate Diet in Children With Overweight or Obesity With Gastric-Heat and Dampness-Obstruction Syndrome: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2025 Mar 3;14:e59856. doi: 10.2196/59856.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Pediatric Obesity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

ObesityOverweightOvernutritionNutrition DisordersNutritional and Metabolic DiseasesBody WeightSigns and SymptomsPathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Central Study Contacts

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
OTHER
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

April 27, 2023

First Posted

May 6, 2023

Study Start

June 7, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

November 30, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 31, 2026

Last Updated

March 19, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Locations