China: Acupuncture, massage become popular for weight loss

Some Chinese have found a more pleasant way to lose weight than the usually painful process of dieting and exercising. Traditional Chinese methods, including massage and acupuncture, are becoming more and more popular for losing weight. Obesity levels are rising fast in the country of 1.3 billion, with more than a quarter of the adult population overweight or obese, a study published last summer in the journal of Health Affairs said. Dr. Zhao's Clinic, which employs massage and acupuncture for weight loss, is one of the beneficiaries of China's expanding waistline. According to Zhao, patients tend to lose between 3 and 5 kilogrammes in a cycle of 12 massage sessions, or between 2.5 and 4 kilogrammes in a cycle of 10 acupuncture sessions, with larger patients losing weight faster than thinner ones. While massage and acupuncture don't make fat disappear miraculously, they cause weight loss indirectly, Zhao explained.