Lifestyle habits and obesity progression in overweight and obese American young adults: Lessons for promoting cardiometabolic health: Lifestyle habits and obesity progression

Obesity among young adults is a growing problem in the United States and is related to unhealthy lifestyle habits such as high caloric intake and inadequate exercise. Accurate assessment of lifestyle habits across obesity stages is important for informing age-specific intervention strategies to prevent and reduce obesity progression. Using a modified version of the Edmonton Obesity Staging System (mEOSS), a new scale for defining obesity risk and predicting obesity morbidity and mortality, this cross sectional study assessed prevalence of mEOSS in 105 overweight/obese young adults and compared young adults’ lifestyle habits across the mEOSS stages. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and one-way analyses of variance (ANOVA) were performed. About 80% of participants (n=83) fell into the mEOSS-2 group and had obesity-related chronic disorders such as diabetes, hypertension and/or dyslipidemia. There were significant differences in dietary quality and dietary patterns across the mEOSS stages. Findings highlighted the significance of obesity prevention and early treatment for overweight and obese young adults to prevent/stop obesity progression

Acupuncture sensation during ultrasound guided acupuncture needling

Although acupuncture sensation (also known as de qi) is a cornerstone of traditional acupuncture therapy, most research has accepted the traditional method of defining acupuncture sensation only through subjective patient reports rather than on any quantifiable physiological basis

Acupuncture Sensation during Ultrasound Guided Acupuncture Needling

BACKGROUND: Although acupuncture sensation (also known as de qi) is a cornerstone of traditional acupuncture therapy, most research has accepted the traditional method of defining acupuncture sensation only through subjective patient reports rather than on any quantifiable physiological basis. PURPOSE: To preliminarily investigate the frequency of key sensations experienced while needling to specific, quantifiable tissue levels (TLs) guided by ultrasound (US) imaging. METHODS: Five participants received needling at two acupuncture points and two control points at four TLs. US scans were used to determine when each TL was reached. Each volunteer completed 32 sets of modified Southampton Needle Sensation Questionnaires. Part one of the study tested sensations experienced at each TL and part two compared the effect of oscillation alone versus oscillation + rotation. RESULTS: In all volunteers, the frequency of pricking, sharp sensations was significantly greater in shallower TLs than deeper (p=0.007); the frequency of sensations described as deep, dull and heavy, as spreading, and as electric shocks was significantly greater in deeper TLs than shallower (p=0.002). Sensations experienced did not significantly differ between real and control points within each of three TLs (p>0.05) except TL 4 (p=0.006). The introduction of needle rotation significantly increased deep, dull, heavy sensations, but not pricking and sharp sensations; within each level, the spectrum of sensation experienced during both oscillation + rotation and oscillation alone did not significantly differ between acupuncture and control points. CONCLUSION: The preliminary study indicates a strong connection between acupuncture sensation and both tissue depth and needle rotation. Furthermore, the new methodology has been proven feasible. A further study with an objective measurement is warranted