Objective: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture as an adjunct to lifestyle interventions on weight loss in simple obesity. Methods: Potentially eligible studies that assessed anthropometric outcomes as well as glucose and lipid metabolism following acupuncture combined with lifestyle interventions in simple obesity patients were searched from eight databases from inception to October 2023. All analyses were performed using the Review Manager software v5.4 and Stata software v17.0. Results: Herein, 25 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 2018 patients were included. Generally, acupuncture combined with lifestyle interventions outperformed lifestyle interventions alone in terms of body weight (MD = − 4.73, 95% CI [− 6.32, − 3.13], p < 0.00001), body mass index (BMI) (MD = − 2.11, 95% CI [− 2.75, − 1.48], p < 0.00001), waist circumference (WC) (MD = − 4.96, 95% CI [− 6.89, − 3.03], p < 0.00001), body fat percentage (BF %) (MD = − 2.61, 95% CI [− 4,51, − 0.71], p = 0.007), fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (SMD = − 0.66, 95% CI [− 1.02, − 0.31], p = 0.0002), fasting serum insulin (FINS) (SMD = − 1.12, 95% CI [− 1.44, − 0.81], p < 0.00001), homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (MD = − 1.22, 95% CI [− 1.50, − 0.94], p < 0.00001), total cholesterol (TC) (SMD = − 1.14, 95% CI [− 1.83, − 0.45], p = 0.001), triglyceride (TG) (SMD = − 1.31, 95% CI [− 2.07, − 0.56], p = 0.0006), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) (SMD = − 1.81, 95% CI [− 3.11, − 0.51], p = 0.006). Subgroup analysis based on three subgroup variables (types of acupuncture and lifestyle interventions as well as treatment durations) could partially explain the heterogeneity of the results. Conclusion: Acupuncture demonstrated an enhancing effect on the benefits of lifestyle interventions for weight loss in patients with simple obesity, including reducing body weight and improving glucose and lipid metabolism. This finding suggests its potential value as a complementary therapy alongside lifestyle interventions in a clinical setting. However, further validation with rigorously designed and high-quality RCTs is still needed in the future.

Background Obesity is a major public health issue in China and around the world. While acupuncture is often used in clinical practice, there is a lack of conclusive evidence for its weight-loss effect. Thus we will conduct a parallel, randomised, sham-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for treating obesity. Methods and analysis A total of 160 eligible participants with obesity will be randomly assigned to the verum acupuncture group or sham acupuncture group at a ratio of 1:1. All participants will be treated three times a week for a duration of 12 weeks, and followed up for another 16 weeks. The primary outcome is the percentage change in body weight from baseline to Week 12. The secondary outcomes include body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), body fat percentage (BF%), blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, insulin, glycosylated haemoglobin A1c, blood lipids, and physical functioning score on the Short Form 36 Health Survey. Other secondary outcomes including psychological and social functions will also be evaluated using the body image scale, psychological function scale, and social function scale of the BODY-Q, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire . BMI, WC, BF% and blood pressure will be evaluated at Week 0, 4, 8, 12 and 28. Other secondary outcomes will be measured at Week 0, 12 and 28, respectively. Adverse events will be recorded in detail during the trial. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval of this trial was granted by the Ethics Committee of Chengdu Sport University (2023–102). Written informed consent will be obtained from study participants before enrolment. The findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals. Trial registration number Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200062092).

While the positive impact of mind-body exercises on alleviating negative emotions in cancer patients is well-established, the most effective type of exercise for this population remains unclear. This systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) evaluated evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to compare the effectiveness of various mind-body exercise modalities in improving emotional well-being among cancer patients. Potentially eligible RCTs assessing anxiety and depression in cancer patients in relation to mind-body exercise interventions were retrieved from eight databases from inception to August 2025. Adverse events were set as secondary outcome measures. Review Manager v5.4 and Stata v17.0 were utilized for pairwise meta-analysis and NMA, respectively. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane tool version 2.0, and the Confidence in Network Meta-Analysis web-based tool was employed to evaluate the certainty of evidence. Sixty-four RCTs involving 4448 participants were included. Across the studies that reported on adverse events (13 of 64 RCTs), no serious adverse events were documented. Pairwise meta-analysis revealed that the mind-body exercise group outperformed the control group in alleviating anxiety (SMD = -1.14, 95% CI [-1.42, -0.87], p < 0.00001) and depression (SMD = -0.87, 95% CI [-1.10, -0.64], p < 0.00001). In the NMA, treatment rankings for anxiety were: Baduanjin > Qigong > Yoga > Tai Chi > control. For depression, the rankings were Wuqinxi > Baduanjin > Qigong > Tai Chi > Yoga > Pilates > control. However, the certainty for network estimates ranged from moderate to very low, primarily attributed to the risk of bias and imprecision. Among the interventions studied, Baduanjin may be associated with relatively greater anxiolytic effects, while Wuqinxi may be more effective in alleviating depressive symptoms among cancer patients. Given the very low to moderate certainty of evidence and the star-shaped network with only indirect comparisons, these preliminary findings should be interpreted with caution.