Effectiveness of Tai Chi on Physical and Psychological Health of College Students: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Guohua Zheng, Xiulu Lan, Moyi Li, Kun Ling, Hui Lin, Lidian Chen, Jing Tao, Junzhe Li, Xin Zheng, Bai Chen, Qianying Fang, Guohua Zheng, Xiulu Lan, Moyi Li, Kun Ling, Hui Lin, Lidian Chen, Jing Tao, Junzhe Li, Xin Zheng, Bai Chen, Qianying Fang

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness and safety of Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) on physical and psychological health of college students.

Methods: Two hundred six college students were recruited and randomly allocated to a control group or a TCC exercise group in an equal ratio. Participants in the control group were instructed to maintain their original activity level and those in the TCC exercise group received 12 weeks of TCC exercise training based on their original activity level. Physical and psychological outcomes were evaluated at baseline, 13 weeks and 25 weeks. Intention-to-treat analysis was performed for the above outcomes.

Results: Compared with the control group, the TCC exercise group showed significant improvements at the end of the 12-week intervention period for flexibility (length of Sit and Reach (cm): TCC group 14.09±7.40 versus control 12.88±6.57, P = 0.039 adjusted for its baseline measures using a general linear model) and balance ability (open eyes perimeter: TCC group 235.6(191~314) versus control 261(216~300); closed eyes perimeter: TCC group 370.5 (284~454) versus control 367 (293~483); P = 0.0414, 0.008, respectively, adjusted for corresponding baseline measures using a general linear model). No significant changes in other physical and mental outcomes were found between the two groups. No adverse events were reported during the study period.

Conclusion: TCC exercise was beneficial in college students for improving flexibility and balance capability to some extent, compared with usual exercise.

Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR-TRC-13003328.

Conflict of interest statement

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1. Participant flow through the study…
Fig 1. Participant flow through the study reported in a CONSORT diagram.

References

    1. Brooks JH, DuBois DL. Individual and environmental predictors of adjustment during the first year of college. J College Stud Dev 1995, 13:347–360.
    1. Kwan MY, Cairney J, Faulkner GE, Pullenayegum EE. Physical activity and other health-risk behaviors during the transition into early adulthood: a longitudinal cohort study. Am J Prev Med 2012, 42:14–20. 10.1016/j.amepre.2011.08.026
    1. Brevard PB, Ricketts CD. Residence of college students affects dietary intake, physical activity, and serum lipid levels. J Am Diet Assic 1996, 96:35–38.
    1. Haase A, Steptoe A, Sallis JF, Wardle J. Leisure-time physical activity in university students from 23 countries: associations with health beliefs, risk awareness, and national economic development. Prev Med 2004, 39:182–190.
    1. American College Health Association. American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment Spring 2008 Reference Group Data Report (abridged): The American college health association. J Am Coll Health 2009, 57:477–488. 10.3200/JACH.57.5.477-488
    1. Seo DC, Torabi MR, Chin MK, Huang SF, Chen CK, Mok MM, et al. A comparison of factors associated with physical inactivity among East Asian college students. Int J Behav Med 2012, 19:316–323. 10.1007/s12529-011-9167-4
    1. Pate RR, Pratt M, Blair SN, et al. Physical activity and public health, a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine. JAMA 1995; 273:402–7.
    1. Barnes AS. Emerging modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease in women: obesity, physical activity, and sedentary behavior. Tex Heart Inst J 2013, 40:293–295.
    1. Matthews CE, Chen KY, Freedson PS, Buchowski MS, Beech BM, Pate RR, et al. Amount of time spent in sedentary behaviors in the United States, 2003–2004. Am J Epidemiol 2008, 167:875–881. 10.1093/aje/kwm390
    1. Folsom AR, Jacobs DR Jr, Wagenknecht LE, Winkhart SP, Yunis C, Hilner JE, et al. Increase in fasting insulin and glucose over seven years with increasing weight and inactivity of young adults: the CARDIA study: coronary artery risk development in young adults. Am J Epidemiol 1996, 144:235–246.
    1. Norman JE, Bild D, Lewis CE, Liu K, West DS, CARDIA Study. The impact of weight change on cardiovascular disease risk factors in young black and white adults: the CARDIA Study. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2003, 27:369–376.
    1. Mikolajczyk RT, Brzoska P, Maier C, Ottova V, Meier S, Dudziak U, et al. Factors associated with self-rated health status in university students: a cross-sectional study in three European countries. Public Health 2008, 8:215–225. 10.1186/1471-2458-8-215
    1. Tosevski DL, Milovancevic MP, Gajic SD. Personality and psychopathology of university students. Curr Opin Psychiatry 2010, 23:48–52. 10.1097/YCO.0b013e328333d625
    1. Gore FM, Bloem PJ, Patton GC, Ferguson J, Joseph V, Coffey C, et al. Global burden of disease in young people aged 10–24 years: a systematic analysis. Lancet 2011, 377:2093–2102. 10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60512-6
    1. Kitzrow MA. The mental health needs of today’s college students: challenges and recommendations. NASPA J 2003, 41:165–179.
    1. Eisenberg D,Hunt J,Speer N. Mental health in American colleges and universities: variation across student subgroups and across campuses. J Nerv Ment Dis.2013;201:60–7. 10.1097/NMD.0b013e31827ab077
    1. Cook LJ. Striving to help college students with mental health issues. J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv 2007, 45:40–44.
    1. Hunt J, Eisenberg D. Mental health problems and help-seeking behavior among college students. J Adolesc Health 2010, 46:3–10. 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.08.008
    1. Penedo FJ, Dahn JR. Exercise and well-being: a review of mental and physical health benefits associated with physical activity. Curr Opin Psychiatry 2005, 18:189–193.
    1. Valois RF, Zullig KJ, Huebner ES, Drane JW. Physical activity behaviors and perceived life satisfaction among public high school adolescents. J Sch Health 2004, 74:59–65.
    1. Koh TC. Baduanjin—an ancient Chinese exercise. The American journal of Chinese medicine. 1982;10(1–4):14–21.
    1. Liu JY. The effect of Tai Chi Chuan on body-mind. Tamkang 1975, 13:217–223.
    1. Lan C, Chen SY, Lai JS, Wong AM. Tai chi chuan in medicine and health promotion. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine. 2013; 2013:502131 10.1155/2013/502131
    1. Jahnke R, Larkey L, Rogers C, Etnier J, Lin F. A comprehensive review of health benefits of qigong and tai chi. Am J Health Promot 2010, 24:1–25.
    1. Cheng FK. Effects of Baduanjin on mental health: a comprehensive review. Journal of bodywork and movement therapies. 2015;19(1):138–49. 10.1016/j.jbmt.2014.11.001
    1. Verhagen AP, Immink M, van der Meulen A, Bierma-Zeinstra SM. The efficacy of Tai Chi Chuan in older adults: a systematic review. Fam Pract 2004, 2:107–113.
    1. Xiong X, Wang P, Li S, Zhang Y, Li X. Effect of Baduanjin exercise for hypertension: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Maturitas. 2015;80(4):370–8. 10.1016/j.maturitas.2015.01.002
    1. Yeh GY, Wang C, Wayne PM, Phillips R: Tai Chi exercise for patients with cardiovascular conditions and risk factors: a systematic review. Cardiopulm Rehabil Prev 2009, 29:152–160.
    1. Wang C, Bannuru R, Ramel J, Kupelnick B, Scott T, Schmid CH. Tai Chi on psychological well-being: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Complement Altern Med 2010, 10:23 10.1186/1472-6882-10-23
    1. Lee L, Lee DT, Woo J. Effect of Tai Chi on state self-esteem and health-related quality of life in older Chinese residential care home residents. J Clin Nurs 2007, 16:1580–1582.
    1. Zheng G, Li M, Lan X, Yan X, Lin Q, Chen L, et al. The effect of Baduanjin exercise for physical and psychological wellbeing of college students: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2013;14:422 10.1186/1745-6215-14-422
    1. Zheng G, Lan X, Li M, Ling K, Lin H, Chen L, et al. The effectiveness of Tai Chi on the physical and psychological well-being of college students: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2014. April 17;15:129 10.1186/1745-6215-15-129
    1. Physical activity and cardiovascular health: NIH Consensus Development Panel on Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health. In proceedings of NIH Consensus Conference. JAMA.1996. 17;276(3):241–6.
    1. Tong YH. Chinese national standard movements of Tai Chi Competition 24. Chengdu: chengdu era press; 2009.
    1. Wang S, Yang J, Zhu Y, Zhang LX, Ding XJ, Cao TL, et al. The reliability and validity study of balance feedback training instrument for brain injury patients with hemiplegia static balance test. Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine, 2011, 26(11):1035–1038.
    1. Bagnato S, Boccagni C, Boniforti F, Trinchera A, Guercio G, Letizia G, et al. Motor dysfunction of the “non-affected” lower limb: a kinematic comparative study between hemiparetic stroke and total knee prosthesized patients. Neurological sciences, 2009, 30(2):107–113. 10.1007/s10072-009-0031-0
    1. Hu JP, Yi WC, Li RY, Jiang XL, Yi WL.First exploration of the reliability of the Proprioception Preliminary quantitative assessment. Chinese Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 2012, 34(1):34–37.
    1. Zhang JX, Schwarzer R. Measuring optimistic self-beliefs: A Chinese adaptation of the General Self-efficacy Scale. Psychologia,1995,38(3):174–181.
    1. Wang XD. Self-reporting Inventory. Chinese Mental Health Journal, 1993 (supplement):31–36.
    1. Yang TZ, Huang HT. Epidemiological study of urban residents’ psychological pressure during the social transformation. Chinese Journal of Epidemiology, 2003, 24(9): 760–764.
    1. Ji Yifu. The self-esteem scale (SES). Chinese Mental Health Journal, 1993, 7:251.
    1. Zhu Beili. Brief introduction of POMS scale and its model for China. Journal of Tian Jin University of Sport, 1995, 10(1):35–37.
    1. Fang JQ. Quality of life measurement method and application. Beijing: Beijing Medical University press, 2000:228–294.
    1. Schafer JL. Multiple imputation: a primer. Stat Methods Med Res. 1999; 8(1):3–15.
    1. Li F, Duncan TE, Duncan SC, McAuley E, Chaumeton NR, Harmer P. Enhancing the psychological well-being of elderly individuals through Tai Chi exercise: a latent growth curve analysis. Structural Equation Modeling, 2001,8(1): 53–83.
    1. Mustian KM, Katula JA, Gill DL, Roscoe JA, Lang D, Murphy K. Tai Chi Chuan, health-related quality of life and self-esteem: a randomized trial with breast cancer survivors. Support Care Cancer 2004, 12:871–876.
    1. Wang YT, Taylor L, Pearl M, Chang LS. Effects of Tai Chi exercise on physical and mental health of college students. Am J Chin Med. 2004;32(3):453–9.
    1. Caldwell K, Emery L, Harrison M, Greeson J. Changes in mindfulness, well-being, and sleep quality in college students through taijiquan courses: a cohort control study. J Altern Complement Med. 2011;17(10):931–8. 10.1089/acm.2010.0645
    1. Converse AK, Ahlers EO, Travers BG, Davidson RJ. Tai chi training reduces self-report of inattention in healthy young adults. Front Hum Neurosci. 2014;8:13 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00013
    1. Boutron I, Moher D, Altman DG, Schulz KF, Ravaud P, CONSORT Group. Extending the CONSORT statement to randomized trials of nonpharmacologic treatment: explanation and elaboration. Ann Intern Med. 2008, 148:295–309.

Source: PubMed

Sponsorer och medarbetare

Medicinska tillstånd

Läkemedelsinterventioner

3
Prenumerera