Abstract
Obesity is a chronic illness with many determinants. Chronic stress is recently thought to be involved in the etiology of obesity. It produces endocrine and immune factors that may be responsible for behavioral effects on appetite and eating habits, comprising the elements of binge-eating disorder (BED). It has been suggested that effective therapy for obesity should be combination therapy involving diet and exercise, as well as behavioral or new biological therapies targeting neuroendocrine pathways. Yoga and acupuncture are reviewed for efficacy as adjunct therapies for obesity and BED. Yoga has compelling evidence for the efficacy of treatment, while acupuncture shows promise in reducing stress factors in animals but requires further research to clarify its value as a recommended therapy in humans.