Topical Issue: Acu-obesity and Diabetes

Obesity hasbecomeamajorpublic health issueworldwide. It is a contributing factor in diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, cancer, osteoarthritis, asthma, and sleep apnea [1], and one of the components ofmetabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is a state of chronic low-grade inflammation as a consequence of a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors. It is characterized by the clustering of multiple metabolic abnormalities, including obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and impaired glucose tolerance as its main components. Acupuncture and herbal medicines have been used for thousands of years for the treatment of obesity and diabetes and associated medical conditions. In 2008 the World Health Organization acknowledged that there was evidence for the effectiveness of acupuncture, some herbal medicines, and somemanual therapies for certain conditions. Clinical studies by randomized controlled trials, although few in number, have shown that acupuncture, usually electroacupuncture (EA), can correct various metabolic disturbances that contribute to hyperglycemia, obesity, hyperphagia, hyperlipidemia, inflammation, altered activity of the sympathetic nervous system, and insulin signaling defects [2]. A large number of studies with animal models have confirmed these findings. Although each animal model has limitations and strengths, used together in a complementary fashion they are essential for researchon thecomponents ofmetabolic syndromeand for understanding the etiology and pathogenesis towards a cure. In the Special Issue, Liaw and Peplow [3,4] studied the effects of EA in two ratmodels of obesity. Thedevelopment of an inflammatory state was shown in high fat diet-induced obese Long Evans rats comparedwith lean animals, and EA caused an increase in serum leptin of the obese animals [3]. Research studies have shown that EA has a bidirectional adjustment of circulating leptin levels. Within a short period of time before rats develop resistance to leptin, EA can increase leptin and its receptor levels [5]. By comparison, EA applied to obese Zucker fatty ratswithhigh serum levels of leptin and insulindecreased