Evidence Hub

Tai chi for overweight/obese adolescent and young women with polycystic ovary syndrome: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Li Y, Peng C, Cao G, Li W, Hou L

Trials, 2018

50 participants · 6 citations

Abstract

Background: Tai Chi is a moderately intense exercise that dates back to ancient China. It has been reported that Tai Chi not only has beneficial effects on metabolic disorders, such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and obesity, but also has favorable effects on psychological well-being. Since these conditions are quite closely associated with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), we hypothesis that Tai Chi could be a potential treatment option for PCOS patients. We aim to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of Tai Chi on overweight/obese adolescent and young women with PCOS.

Methods: A total of 50 patients will be randomized into two arms: (1) Tai Chi or (2) self-monitored exercise. Both groups will exercise for 3 months. The primary hypothesis is that Tai Chi results in a significantly lower Body Mass Index (BMI) than self-monitored exercise. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine.

Discussion: This is the first study to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of Tai Chi in treating overweight/obese adolescent and young women with PCOS. The trial will provide evidence to assess the feasibility of a future multicenter, randomized controlled trial.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT02608554 . Registered on 17 November 2015.

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 50 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

Read the paper

Related studies

Go deeper in Evidence Hub

Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.

Open this study Sign up free