AUTHOR(S): Nandhini A, Karthikeyan P, Ramesh Ponnurangam, Arthi Balakrishnan and Velan Arumugam

ABSTRACT:
Obesity has emerged as a global health crisis, with its prevalence steadily increasing due to sedentary lifestyles, high-calorie diets, and metabolic imbalances. As a key risk factor for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other non-communicable disorders, its management poses significant challenges. Conventional treatments—primarily involving dietary restriction, pharmacotherapy, and bariatric surgery—often face limitations related to side effects, cost, and patient adherence. In this context, there is a growing interest in naturopathic medicine, which emphasizes holistic, individualized care through non-invasive, low-risk interventions. This review was undertaken to synthesize clinical findings from 2015 to mid-2025 on the integrative role of naturopathy in obesity management. Naturopathic therapies—including plant-based diets, fasting, hydrotherapy, physical activity, detoxification, mind-body practices, and gut microbiota modulation—target the root causes of obesity such as metabolic dysfunction, chronic inflammation, and neuroendocrine imbalance. Clinical studies have reported encouraging short-term outcomes in weight reduction, insulin sensitivity, lipid profiles, and quality of life. However, methodological limitations and variability in intervention protocols necessitate further high-quality research. This review highlights the therapeutic promise of naturopathy as a complementary strategy for obesity, supporting its integration into patient-centered, sustainable care models.

Pages: 192-196  |  1196 Views  242 Downloads