銀行◆英文題庫下載題庫

   Regular exercise is beneficial to cardiovascular health and longevity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine recommend a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days of the week. According to the National Institutes of Health-American Association of Retired Persons Diet and Health Study, achievement of activity levels approximate the recommendations for moderate activity (at least 30 minutes on most days of the week) may decrease 27% of mortality in men and women. In developing countries, the fast increase of cardiovascular disease mortality may partly be attributed to the decrease of physical activity. The death rate of cardiovascular disease in China, for example, nearly increased 50% from 1990 to 2009, and the decrease of exercise participation played an important role in the increase of mortality. A recent investigation in 9 provinces and cities of China showed that the physical activity in 2006 declined by 27.8% in men and by 36.9% in women in comparison with those in 1997. 

   Non-vigorous exercise training is a central focus of health promotion and is the core component of rehabilitation for patients with cardiovascular disease. According to a recent meta-analysis evaluating the effect of light-to-moderate physical activity, 2.5 hour/week moderate-intensity activity, that is, 30 min exercise 5 days a week, compared with no physical activity was associated with a reduction in mortality risk of 19%, while 7 hour/week of moderate activity compared with no activity reduced the mortality risk by 24%. 

   Tai Chi is a Chinese traditional mind-body exercise. Although the exercise intensity of Tai Chi is low to moderate, previous studies have shown that it offers benefits for aerobic capacity, muscular strength, balance, and cardiovascular risk factors. Further, Tai Chi appears to be safe and effective for patients with acute myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass grafting surgery, congestive heart failure, and stroke. From the standpoint of exercise prescription, Tai Chi is a suitable exercise for patients with cardiovascular disease because it is easily accessible and of low cost and can be easily implemented in the community setting. The aim of this literature review is to provide an overview of Tai Chi benefits on cardiovascular health and to introduce the potential application of Tai Chi for patients with cardiovascular disease.