Table 1. Participant Characteristics at Baseline.
| Characteristic | Tai Chi group (n = 173) | Aerobic exercise group (n = 169) |
|---|---|---|
| Age, mean (SD), y | 48.4 (12.4) | 50.1 (11.4) |
| Sex, No. (%) | ||
| Women | 87 (50.3) | 89 (52.7) |
| Men | 86 (49.7) | 80 (47.3) |
| Weight, mean (SD), kg | 71.2 (12.4) | 69.2 (11.7) |
| Body mass index, mean (SD)a | 25.5 (3.3) | 24.8 (3.2) |
| Waist circumference, mean (SD), cm | 88.8 (9.3) | 87.1 (9.4) |
| Medical history, No. (%) | ||
| Current smoker | 18 (10.4) | 21 (12.4) |
| Previous smoker | 4 (2.3) | 9 (5.3) |
| Hyperlipidemia | 29 (16.8) | 39 (23.1) |
| Family history of hypertension | 121 (69.9) | 117 (69.2) |
| Family history of coronary artery disease | 62 (35.8) | 49 (29.0) |
| SCORE risk, mean (SD)b | 0.82 (1.23) | 1.07 (1.62) |
| Office BP, mean (SD), mm Hg | ||
| SBP | 132.4 (6.0) | 132.6 (6.0) |
| DBP | 84.2 (4.9) | 84.5 (4.7) |
| Ambulatory BP, mean (SD), mm Hg | ||
| 24-h SBP | 128.8 (9.5) | 128.2 (9.4) |
| 24-h DBP | 81.7 (8.0) | 81.5 (8.6) |
| Daytime SBP | 131.5 (9.4) | 130.9 (9.5) |
| Daytime DBP | 83.2 (8.3) | 82.8 (9.0) |
| Nighttime SBP | 123.9 (12.0) | 122.6 (14.7) |
| Nighttime DBP | 78.9 (10.2) | 78.7 (11.1) |
| Fasting plasma glucose level, mg/dL | 101.8 (16.4) | 102.0 (24.1) |
| HbA1c level, % | 5.70 (0.46) | 5.70 (0.50) |
| Total cholesterol level, mg/dL | 197.3 (38.6) | 199.6 (37.5) |
| Triglyceride level, mg/dL | 155.8 (115.9) | 155.8 (207.1) |
| LDL cholesterol level, mg/dL | 121.6 (29.3) | 120.8 (26.3) |
| HDL cholesterol level, mg/dL | 50.6 (9.7) | 53.9 (13.5) |
| Creatinine level, mg/dL | 0.72 (0.14) | 0.72 (0.14) |
Abbreviations: DBP, diastolic blood pressure (BP); HbA1c, glycated hemoglobin; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; SBP, systolic BP; SCORE, Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation.
SI conversion factors: To convert cholesterol to mmol/L, multiply by 0.0259; creatinine to μmol/L, multiply by 88.4; glucose to mmol/L, multiply by 0.0555; and triglyceride to mmol/L, multiply by 0.0113.
a
Calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared.
b
The SCORE system estimates an individual’s 10-year risk of fatal cardiovascular disease. Risks range from 0 to 14 in women and 0 to 26 in men.