Table 1.
Characteristics of included studies
| Authors, year | Location | Participants, Duration of disease (years) | No. | Tai Chi group | Control group | Follow-up | Outcome measures | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form or style | Duration(min) | Frequency | |||||||
| Zhang Y, 2008 | China | Women with T2DM (4.4) | T: 10; C: 10 | n.r. | 60 min | Five times weekly | No treatment (free activity programme, n.r. in detail) | 14 weeks | (1) FBG; (2) TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, TG |
| Chen SC, 2010 | Taiwan (China) | Patients with T2DM (8.5/7.8) | T: 56; C: 48 | Chen-style | 60 min | Three times weekly | Conventional exercise (aerobic exercise plus home-based exercise, 60 min, 3 times weekly for 12 weeks) | 12 weeks | (1) HbA1c, FBG |
| Lam P, 2008 | Australia | Adults with T2DM (≥0.5) | T: 28; C: 25 | Yang- and Sun-style 20-form | 60 min | Two classes weekly | No treatment (wait list) | 24 weeks | (1) HbA1c; (2) TC, TG |
| Youngwanichsetha S, 2013 | Thailand | Women with T2DM (2.62) | TG:32; CG:32 | 18 movements (Lin’s style) | 50 min | Three times weekly | Standard diabetes care (usual care, n.r. in detail) | 12 weeks | (1) HbA1c, FBG; (2) BMI |
| Wang P, 2009 | China | Older adults with T2DM (> 1) | TG:28; CG:26 | Yang-style Tai Chi | 30–50 min | Five or seven times weekly | Social dancing exercise (30–50 min every day for 24 weeks) | 24 weeks | (1) HbA1c, FBG; (2) TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, TG |
| Zhao G, 2017 | China | Patients with T2DM (n.r.) | T: 8; C: 8 | Chen-style | 60 min | Seven times weekly | Standard diabetes care (diet control and anti-diabetic medication, n.r. in detail) | 16 weeks | (1) FBG; (2) TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, TG, BMI |
| Kan Y, 2004 | China | Patients with T2DM (> 3) | T: 26; C: 22 | 24 movements (simplified version) | 60 min | Seven times weekly | Walking or running (60 min every day for 12 weeks) | 12 weeks | (1) FBG; (2) TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, TG, BMI |
| Wang JH, 2003 | China | Older adults with T2DM (> 2) | T: 10; C: 6 | 24 movements (simplified version) | 60 min | Seven times weekly | Standard diabetes care (usual medical care, n.r. in detail) | 12 weeks | (1) FBG; (2) TC, TG, BMI |
| Yan J, 2004 | China | Patients with T2DM (3.0/2.9) | T: 10; C: 8 | Da Yuan Jiang Tang-style | 30–60 min | Twice daily | Standard diabetes care (diet control and anti-diabetic medication, n.r. in detail) | 24 weeks | (1) HbA1c, FBG |
| Li XB, 2013 | China | Older adults with T2DM (3 months-10 years) | T: 30; C: 30 | n.r. | 45 min | Once daily | Standard diabetes care (injection of insulin or anti-diabetic medication, n.r. in detail) | 8 weeks | (1) FBG |
| Wu F, 2010 | China | Patients with T2DM (1.35/1.36) | T: 20; C: 20 | 24 movements (simplified version) | 60 min | Three times weekly | Standard diabetes care (diet control and anti-diabetic medication, n.r. in detail) | 24 weeks | (1) HbA1c, FBG |
| Wei DL, 2012 | China | Patients with T2DM (0.5–3) | T: 26; C: 26 | 36 movements (Tai Chi Ball) | 60 min | Once daily | Standard diabetes care (antidiabetic medication, n.r. in detail) | 12 weeks | (1) HbA1c, FBG; (2) TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, TG, BMI |
| Li HC, 2015 | China | Patients with T2DM (7.83/8.14) | T: 50; C: 50 | Chen-style | 40–50 min | Once daily | Sham exercise (jogging, brisk walking, Yangko and other aerobic exercises), 40–50 min for 6 months | 24 weeks | (1) HbA1c, FBG; (2) TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, TG, BMI |
| TSANG T, 2008a | Australia | Adults with T2DM (8.7/12.4) | T: 18; C: 20 | Yang-style | 60 min | Twice weekly | Sham exercise (calisthenics and gentle stretching) | 16 weeks | (1) HbA1c; (2) BMI |
| ORR R, 2006 | Australia | Older adults with T2DM (8.5/9.0) | T: 17; C: 18 | Sun-style and Yang-style | 60 min | Twice weekly | Sham exercise (e.g., seated calisthenics, stretching) | 16 weeks | (1) FBG |
| Xiao L, 2010 | China | Patients with T2DM (1.35/1.36) | T: 12; C: 12 | 24 movements (simplified version) | 60 min | Six times weekly | Standard diabetes care (anti-diabetic medication, glipizide, n.r. in detail) | 24 weeks | (1) HbA1c, FBG |
| Xiao CM, 2015 | China | Older adults with DM | T: 16; C: 16 | Tai Chi Ball | 1 to 2 h | Three sessions per week | No intervention | 12 weeks | (1) HbA1c |
Abbreviations: T Tai Chi, C control, FBG fasting blood glucose, HbA1c glycated haemoglobin, TC total cholesterol, TG triglycerides, HDL-C high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, LDL-C low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, BMI body mass index, n.r not reported