Effects of a T'ai Chi-Based Health Promotion Program on Metabolic Syndrome Markers, Health Behaviors, and Quality of Life in Middle-Aged Male Office Workers: A Randomized Trial

Objectives: To determine the effects of a t'ai chi-applied worksite health promotion program on metabolic syndrome markers, health behaviors, and quality of life in middle-aged male office workers at a high risk of metabolic syndrome. Design: A prospective randomized controlled study. Setting: Health center of a government office building in Korea. Subjects: Forty-three male office workers with two or more metabolic syndrome markers. Interventions: The office workers were randomly assigned either to an experimental group that received t'ai chi combined with health education twice weekly for 12 weeks, or to a control group that received health education only. Outcome measures: Blood sampling for metabolic syndrome markers and structured questionnaires for health behaviors and quality of life. Results: The experimental group showed significant reductions in systolic (t=-3.103, p=0.003) and diastolic (t=-2.159, p=0.037) blood pressures and the triglyceride level (t=-2.451, p=0.019) compared with the control group. Those in the experimental group also performed health behaviors more frequently (t=4.047, p<0.001) and reported a significantly better quality of life (t=3.193, p=0.003) than those in the control group. Conclusion: The study findings show that t'ai chi was an effective adjunctive intervention in a worksite health promotion program for middle-aged office workers at a high risk of metabolic syndrome. Future studies should examine the long-term effects of t'ai chi-applied worksite health promotion programs in individuals with confirmed metabolic syndrome.