The effect of Baduanjin exercise on health-related physical fitness of college students: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Low health-related physical fitness in college students is a risk factor for future development of cardiovascular diseases at later stages in life, but appropriate exercise is one of the main determinant factors of health-related physical fitness. Previous studies have showed that Baduanjin exercise is beneficial in improving sleep quality, mental health, body flexibility, and body physique. However, the evidence is unclear whether Baduanjin exercise can be recommended as an effective exercise to promote health-related physical fitness of college students. METHODS/DESIGN: One hundred twenty college students will be recruited and randomly allocated to either the Baduanjin exercise or the control group at a ratio of 1:1. The students in the Baduanjin exercise group will receive a 12-week supervised Baduanjin exercise training intervention with a frequency of 1 h each day and 4 days per week, while those in the control group will not receive any specific exercise intervention and will be informed to maintain their original lifestyle for 12 weeks. The primary outcome of health-related physical fitness involving measurements of body flexibility, muscular strength, cardiopulmonary fitness, and body endurance will be measured at baseline and after the 12-week intervention period. Mixed linear models will be used to analyze the effect of the Baduanjin exercise intervention on the health-related physical fitness of college students. DISCUSSION: This is the first trial to evaluate the effects of Baduanjin exercise on health-related physical fitness in college students. If the results are as expected, they will provide evidence of Baduanjin exercise in promoting health-related physical fitness in young adults. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR-IOR-17013011. Registered on 17 November 2017. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s13063-019-3672-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.