Obesity treated with phototherapy: Four case studies

✍ Scribed by Bylesj�, E. Ingemar ;Boman, Kurt ;Wetterberg, Lennart

• Book ID: 101261652
• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1996
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 236 KB
• Volume: 20
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0276-3478
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1098-108x(199612)20:4<443::aid-eat14>3.0.co;2-z

✦ Synopsis

We studied the effect of phototherapy on body weight in 4 overweight women. Melatonin was measured in the serum and urine before and after 7 hr of bright light (350 c d / d ) . Psychiatric self-ratings with the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale (CPRS) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) were performed. Phototherapy (7,500 lux) was given daily at 7-9 a.m. for 7 0 days and thereafter twice weekly for another 4 7/2 weeks. Three of the 4 women reduced their net weight (7.5-2.4 kg) and improved in mood. All were sensitive to light. The findings indicate that phototherapy affects the melatonin-serotonin system and carbohydrate regulation and may reduce body weight.