The effectiveness of Baduanjin on metabolic syndrome: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses

Objective

This meta-analysis evaluated the effects of Baduanjin on the metabolic status of individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS). The aim was to identify effective interventions for MetS prevention and treatment.

Methods

We conducted a comprehensive search of English (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) and Chinese (CNKI, Wanfang, Chinese Biomedical Database, VIP) databases till August 19, 2022. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) focusing on Baduanjin for MetS patients were included. Data were pooled and assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. The Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation for Systematic Reviews was used to evaluate literature quality.

Results

Eight RCTs involving 435 participants were included. Baduanjin showed significant improvements in fasting blood glucose (mean difference [MD] = −0.41, 95% confidence interval [CI] [−0.22, −0.61], p < 0.0001) and glycated hemoglobin levels (MD = −0.99, 95% CI [−0.38, −1.60], p < 0.00001). Waist-to-hip ratio (MD = −0.04, 95% CI [−0.03, −0.06], p = 0.002), body mass index (MD = −1.60, 95% CI [−0.10, −3.10], p = 0.04), fasting insulin (MD = −4.82, 95% CI [−0.15, −8.59], p = 0.01), systolic blood pressure (MD = −7.16, 95% CI [−5.16, −9.17], p < 0.00001), diastolic blood pressure (MD = −3.43, 95% CI [−0.62, −6.24], p = 0.02), total cholesterol (MD = −0.48, 95% CI [−0.10, −0.85], p = 0.01), triglycerides (MD = −0.39, 95% CI [−0.14, −0.64], p = 0.003), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (MD = −0.52, 95% CI [−0.10, −0.94], p = 0.01) also significantly improved. No adverse events were reported. Literature quality ranged from very low to moderate.

Conclusions

Baduanjin effectively improves metabolic status in individuals with MetS, including blood glucose, lipid profile, obesity-related indicators, insulin levels, and blood pressure. However, the overall literature quality is moderate to low. Further rigorous RCTs are needed to explore Baduanjin's effects on MetS, considering intervention methods, content, and research methodologies.