Clinical Research Directory

Auricular Acupressure Integrated With a Smartphone Application for Weight Reduction

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether self-administered auricular acupressure integrated with a smartphone application works to reduce weight in patients with obesity accompanied with obesity-related comorbid illness. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is there significant difference in the Body Mass Index (BMI) between the self-administered auricular acupressure integrated with a smartphone app (Version 2) group (experimental group) and the usual care group, in people with obesity accompanied with metabolic syndrome? * Are there significant differences in other anthropometric parameters between the two groups? These parameters include waist circumference, body fat percentage, skeletal muscle percentage, and waist-to-hip ratio. * Are there any significant differences in obesity-related parameters between the two groups? These parameters include blood lipid profile (triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL)), blood glucose concentrations (fasting glucose and glycated haemoglobin/ HbA1c), and blood pressure. Participants in the experimental group will: * Be affixed with 6 to 8 hypoallergic Vaccariae Semen ear patches on one ear each time * Visit the clinic twice a week to change a new set of ear patches on the opposite ear * Will undergo this intervention for 8 weeks * Install a smartphone application which will send pop-up notifications to remind them to press on the ear patches regularly every day * Keep a record on the number of times pressing on the smartphone application