ZHENG May Contribute to Obesity Phenotypes Based on Body Composition: A Pilot Study on the Traditional Chinese Medicine Approach

Feng Tao (1) , Hao Lu (1) , Jean-Michel Oppert (2) , Arnaud Basdevant (2)

1 Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
2 ICAN - Unité de Recherche sur les Maladies Cardiovasculaires, du Métabolisme et de la Nutrition = Research Unit on Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases

Objective: Obesity therapy needs new approaches to complement current phenotyping systems. This study aims to assess associations between the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) ZHENG and obesity phenotypes. Methods: We assessed medical history and habitual physical activity and measured body composition , fasting plasma glucose and insulin , and lipids. We collected TCM data through face-to-face interview. ZHENG elements (essentials and locations) were identified by TCM practitioner. Primary ZHENG was assessed by cluster analysis. Results: In 140 consecutive subjects enrolled in a university clinic (body mass index (BMI) : 39. 9 ± 5. 8 kg / m2) , ZHENG essentials were identified as " QiXu , " " Re , " " YinXu , " and " TanShi " (totally 86. 8%). Locations were " Shen , " " Wei , " " Pi , " and " Gan " (totally 91. 8%). Four types of primary ZHENG were identified : A (37. 1% of subjects) , B (16. 5%) , C (35. 7%) , and D (10. 7%). Subjects in type D showed elevated BMI , total fat mass (FM) , FM index , trunk FM , and less physical activity , as compared with others. Subjects in type B changed regional body composition (reduced trunk FM% and elevated appendicular FM%). Biological parameters did not differ across primary ZHENG clusters. Conclusions: Obesity phenotypes based on body composition differ according to ZHENG in obese patients. This study is a first step toward understanding the contribution of TCM to obesity phenotyping .

Domaines: Endocrinologie et métabolisme

Feng Tao, Hao Lu, Jean-Michel Oppert, Arnaud Basdevant. ZHENG May Contribute to Obesity Phenotypes Based on Body Composition: A Pilot Study on the Traditional Chinese Medicine Approach. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2014, 2014, pp.580803. ⟨10.1155/2014/580803⟩. ⟨hal-01317478⟩