Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026
Effects of Mindfulness Training Combined with Tai Chi in Patients with Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy
Published on: July 14, 2023
Hemodynamic responses to a community-based Tai Chi exercise intervention in ethnic Chinese adults with cardiovascular
Ruth E Taylor-Piliae1, William L Haskell, Erika Sivarajan Froelicher
1Stanford Prevention Research Center, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Hoover Pavilion, MC 5705, 211 Quarry Road, Room N229, Stanford, CA 94305-5705, USA. rpiliae@stanford.edu
Insights
Tai Chi (TC) exercise significantly reduced blood pressure (BP) and improved aerobic endurance in ethnic Chinese adults with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. This culturally relevant intervention offers a low-cost approach to managing CVD risk.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Preventive Medicine
- Exercise Physiology
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death globally, particularly among older adults.
- Physical activity is recognized for its role in mitigating CVD risk factors.
- Limited research exists on the impact of Tai Chi (TC) on blood pressure (BP) in ethnic Chinese populations in the US.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the hemodynamic responses to a 12-week community-based Tai Chi (TC) exercise intervention.
- To assess the intervention's effect on blood pressure (BP) and aerobic endurance in ethnic Chinese adults with CVD risk factors.
Main Methods:
- A quasi-experimental design was employed with ethnic Chinese adults aged over 45 residing in the San Francisco Bay Area.
- Participants engaged in TC exercise three times weekly for 12 weeks.
- Aerobic endurance was assessed via a step-in-place test, with BP and heart rate measured at rest and post-test at baseline, 6, and 12 weeks.
Main Results:
- The study included 39 participants (69% women, mean age 66 years) with hypertension, hypercholesteremia, and/or diabetes.
- High adherence (87%) was observed, with significant improvements in aerobic endurance over time.
- Clinically significant reductions in resting BP (from 150/86 to 131/77 mmHg) and post-test BP (from 178/99 to 164/82 mmHg) were achieved (p < 0.01).
Conclusions:
- A 12-week community-based TC intervention effectively reduced BP and enhanced aerobic endurance in Chinese adults with CVD risk factors.
- TC presents a culturally relevant, low-cost, and accessible exercise modality for managing hypertension and reducing CVD risk.
- This approach is crucial given the rising prevalence of hypertension in the US and its associated public health burden.
Background:
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death among older adults worldwide, including Europe, Asia, and North America. In the United States (US), CVD is also the leading cause of death among Asian-Americans. Physical activity has been shown to reduce CVD risk factors. Reduction in blood pressure (BP) in response to Tai Chi (TC) exercise in persons with CVD risk factors have been reported, though not in ethnic Chinese living in the US.
Aim:
Hemodynamic responses to a 12-week community-based TC exercise intervention among ethnic Chinese with CVD risk factors were examined.
Methods:
Quasi-experimental design. Ethnic Chinese > 45 years old with at least 1 major CVD risk factor, living in the San Francisco Bay Area, attended a TC intervention three times a week for 12 weeks. A 2-min step-in-place test assessed aerobic endurance. BP and heart rate were measured at rest, and within 1-min after the step-test. Data were collected at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks.
Results:
A total of 39 subjects (69% women), 66 +/- 8.3 years old, with hypertension (92%), hypercholesteremia (49%), and/or diabetes (21%), and 1 current smoker participated. Adherence to the intervention was high (87%). Subjects were sedentary at baseline, though had a statistically significant improvement in aerobic endurance over-time (eta2 = 0.39). At baseline, the average BP at rest was 150/86, while BP in response to the step-test was 178/99. Clinically and statistically significant reductions in BP at rest (131/77), and in response to the step-test (164/82) were found over 12 weeks of TC (p < 0.01). No significant change in heart rate was observed.
Conclusions:
This innovative, culturally relevant, community-based 12-week TC exercise intervention, appealed to Chinese adults with CVD risk factors, with significant reductions in BP and improvement in aerobic endurance. Given the number of persons estimated to have HTN and other CVD risk factors, the identification of new approaches to improve health, combined with risk factor reduction is needed. This is particularly important, given the rise in HTN among adults in the US and the associated public health burden of HTN. TC has the potential to reduce expenditures associated with CVD by facilitating a lifestyle that promotes physical activity, while remaining a low-tech, low-cost alternative to exercise.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Exercise and Cardiovascular Response
Light to moderate physical activity initiates a series of interconnected responses in the body. The heart rate modestly increases in anticipation of the workout, followed by widespread vasodilation as oxygen consumption by skeletal muscles increases. This results in decreased peripheral resistance, increased capillary blood flow, and accelerated...
01:26Exercise Stress Test
Exercise stress testing, commonly known as a treadmill test, is a noninvasive procedure used to evaluate cardiovascular function and diagnose heart conditions.
Definition
An exercise stress test measures the heart's response to exertion using a treadmill or stationary bicycle. Chest electrodes record the heart's electrical activity through an ECG, and blood pressure is monitored regularly.
Purposes