2.2. Study design
We used a randomized controlled design with repeated
measures from October 2013 to April 2014. After the subjects
completed the screening questionnaires, baseline measurements
were obtained. After signing the written informed
consent form, the subjects gave blood samples, and each of
them acquired an order number. Thereafter, they were
randomly allocated into the intervention group and the control
group by using a random number table. The group allocation
was concealed for laboratory technicians. The
intervention program for the intervention group lasted six
months, whereas the subjects in the control group kept their
original lifestyle unchanged for six months. When the intervention
program was finished, the subjects in the control
group were encouraged to practice Tai Chi exercises. The TA
was examined, and the GT was measured in middle aged and
elderly adults. The outcomes of both groups were collected at
baseline and after six months of intervention.