Reduction in measures of adiposity using a combination of radio frequency and ultrasound cavitation methods

Radio frequency (RF) and ultrasound cavitation are two new methods that have been reported to reduce measures of obesity. This pilot study describes the results of a clinical trial in which a group of women receiving a low-calorie diet also underwent RF and ultrasound cavitation of the anterior abdomen and flank areas.Methods and materialThis randomised clinical trial was conducted between January 2014 and June 2014 at Ghaem Hospital in Mashhad, Iran. In total, 50 healthy women were recruited to participate in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups, both of which received a low-calorie diet containing a 500-kcal energy deficit per day. The case group comprised 25 subjects who were assigned to a combined alternate treatment with RF and ultrasound cavitation of the abdomen and flank areas. The controls comprised 25 subjects who received the low-calorie diet alone. Anthropometric parameters, including body mass index, abdominal circumference, waist circumference, fat mass and trunk fat, were measured before and after the intervention. The same trained nurse administered the treatment twice weekly for a total period of 40 min each.ResultsThe mean abdominal circumference was reduced by 9% and 5% in the case and control groups, respectively. In both the case and control groups, waist circumference was reduced significantly by 3.76 ± 1.69 and 2.40 ± 1.04 cm, respectively (P < 0.05). In addition, abdominal circumference was reduced by 9.5 ± 2.66 and 3.12 ± 1.88 cm in these groups, respectively (P < 0.001). There were no adverse events reported in these study groups.ConclusionMeasures of adiposity can be reduced significantly using RF and ultrasound cavitation in combination with a low-calorie diet.