Objective To assess the efficacy of the combined treatment with electroacupuncture（EA） and intradermal needling on simple obesity and explore its underlying effect mechanism.Methods A total number of 116 patients with simple obesity were randomized into an observation group（58 cases

3 cases dropped off and 2 cases removed） and a control group（58 cases

4 cases dropped off and 1 cases removed）.Patients in the control group received EA at Zhongwan（CV 12）

Quchi（LI 11）

Zusanli（ST 36）

Pishu（BL 20）

Weishu（BL 21）

etc.

for 30 min each time.On the base of the intervention as the control group

the patients in the observation group received the intradermal needling at Tianshu（ST 25）

Daheng（SP 15）

Zusanli（ST 36）

Shangjuxu（ST 37）

Quchi（LI 11）

Pishu（BL 20） and Weishu（BL 21）.In each group

the intervention was given once every two days

3 times a week

consecutively for 3 months.Before and after treatment

the obesity indexes（body mass [BW]

body mass index [BMI]

body fat percentage [F%]

adiposity [A] and waist circumference [WC]）

the serum intestinal lymphatic function-related factors（vascular endothelial growth factor C [VEGF-C]

delta-like ligand 4 [DLL4]

adrenomedullin [ADM]）

blood lipid（total cholesterol [TC]

triglyceride [TG] and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol [LDL-C]）

and fasting plasma glucose（FPG）

fasting insulin（FINS） and insulin resistance index（HOMA-IR） were observed in the patients of both groups;and the efficacy was assessed.Results The effective rate was 88.7%（47/53） in the observation group

higher than 71.7%（38/53） in the control group（P<0.05）.After treatment

except FPG in the control group

BW

BMI

F%

A

WC

and the concentrations of serum VEGF-C

DLL4 and ADM

as well as TC

TG

LDL-C

FBG

FINS and HOMA-IR were all reduced compared with those before treatment in both groups（P<0.05）.The reduction ranges of BW

BMI

F%

A

WC

and the concentrations of serum VEGF-C

DLL4 and ADM

and TC

LDL-C

FINS and HOMA-IR in the observation group were all larger than those in the control group（P<0.05）.Conclusion Electroacupuncture combined with intradermal needling can reduce body weight and lipid

and improve insulin resistance in treatment of simple obesity

which is achieved probably through inhibiting lymphangiogenesis and promoting lymphatic endothelial permeability.