1. Introduction
obese, overweight
OBESE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Bafa Wubu Tai Chi (BW-TC) and traditional He-style Tai Chi (TH-TC) exercises on physical health risk factors in overweight male college students and to compare the effectiveness of the two Tai Chi exercise forms in improving these risk factors. Methods: Eighty-one overweight male university students between the ages of 18 and 23 were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to the BW-TC group, TH-TC group, and control group (CG). The Tai Chi exercise training consisted of 12 weeks, three times a week, for 60 min per session. The CG attended three health lectures and maintained their normal study routine. The outcomes were body composition and blood lipids. Data were collected at baseline and post-intervention and analyzed using one-way ANOVA and mixed-design ANOVA. Results: At baseline, there were no significant differences in demographic characteristics and assessed parameters (Being overweight or obese is a significant public health issue with major impacts on various bodily functions [Previous research has demonstrated that exercise can improve body composition and lower lipid concentrations [Even though Tai Chi has many benefits, research on the health benefits of different styles of Tai Chi for the overweight population, such as Bafa Wubu Tai Chi (BW-TC) and traditional He style Tai Chi (TH-TC) exercises, remains limited, and support for the health benefits of traditional Tai Chi exercise remains weak. Because overweight university students often have difficulty finding effective, enjoyable exercise plans to improve their physical health, comparing the effects of these two types of Tai Chi is particularly meaningful, as they may be feasible choices for this population, even though further research is needed to understand the effects thereof on health risk factors such as blood lipids and body composition. BW-TC exercise is a simplified Tai Chi routine promoted by the General Administration of Sport in China, with simple and easy-to-learn movements consisting of 16 forms, each of which takes approximately three minutes [In this study, we conducted a randomized controlled trial to investigate the effects of two types of Tai Chi exercise training on health risk factors in overweight male university students. The hypothesis of this study was that both BW-TC and TH-TC exercises would have a significant effect on the body composition and blood lipids of overweight university students, with potentially greater advantages being observed with TH-TC exercise. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of BW-TC and TH-TC exercises on body composition and blood lipids in overweight university students and to compare how effectively these two types of Tai Chi improved these parameters. The results of this study will help to clarify the potential benefits of Tai Chi exercise for improving the health of overweight university students and provide guidance for future interventions in this population.