OBJECTIVE: To compare therapeutic effects of electroacupuncture combined with manual acupuncture and simple electroacupuncture on simple obesity. METHODS: One hundred and twenty cases were randomly divided into an electroacupuncture plus manual acupuncture group (observation group, n = 63) and a simple electroacupuncture group (electroacupuncture group, n = 57). Their clinical therapeutic effects and the time starting the therapeutic effect were compared. RESULTS: In the observation group 57 cases (90.5%) were cured and the total effective rate was 100.0%, and in the electroacupuncture group 42 cases (73.7%) were cured and the total effective rate was 96.5%, with significant difference in the cured rate between the two groups (P < 0.05); and the time starting the therapeutic effect in the observation group was superior to the electroacupuncture group. CONCLUSION: Electroacupuncture combined with manual acupuncture is superior to the simple electroacupuncture in the cured rate and the time starting the effect in treatment of simple obesity.