Evaluation of the Efficacy of Chinese Herbal Medicine in Patients With Obesity
Evaluation of the Efficacy of Chinese Herbal Medicine in Patients With Obesity
Obesity is defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation. It is a complex disease with
 multifactorial etiology. Although the prevalence of obesity is generally greater in elders
 and women, obesity rates have increased in all ages and both sexes in recent years. Obesity
 or overweight also has a higher risk of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia,
 hypertension, hyperuricemia, gout, osteoarthritis, cardiovascular disease, coronary artery
 disease, breast cancer, endometrial cancer and colorectal cancer. The body mass index (BMI),
 calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters, is widely used
 to define overweight and obesity in clinical studies. In Taiwan, subjects with BMI between 24
 and 27 were diagnosed of overweight, and those with BMI over 27 were diagnosed of obesity.

 Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) was widely used in the treatment of obesity. The main purpose
 of CHM treatment is to promote metabolism, suppress appetite and block intestinal digestion
 and absorption of fat. Since there are various adverse effects of anti-obesity medicines, and
 there are surgical complications including infection and anastomotic stenosis, patients may
 seek CHM for losing weight. Many studies have indicated the efficacy of single herb in the
 treatment of obesity.

 Currently, the amount of computerized clinical data is increasing rapidly with the adoption
 of electronic medical records. The study is expected to collect the medical records,
 including the data of body weight, related side effects and biochemical data of each
 individual. By comparing the change of related data before and after CHM treatment, we could
 evaluate the efficacy of CHM in patients with obesity.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Patients with the diagnosis of obesity (ICD-9: 278.00) and received Chinese herbal
 treatment for obesity in outpatient clinic during January 1, 2007 and December 31,
 2019.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Patients who were pregnant or breast feeding during treatment period.

 -  Patients who were diagnosed of hopothyroidism or Cushing's disease.