Abstract

People with morbid obesity (MO) face numerous barriers to participation in physical activity (PA), yet lack of activity contributes to the multitude of health problems they face. The purpose of this study was to identify changes in function and quality of life (QOL) using an instructional DVD at home as part of a Tai Chi (TC) program designed to increase PA levels in people with MO, using a quasi-experimental design. Participants included seventeen women (TC group = 11, control group = 6). All participants had been instructed to engage in a daily walking program and continue any regular physical activities. The TC participants (TCG) attended one group session per week for instruction, and performed the TC with the DVD at home twice per week. Adherence to the TC program was 95 percent. Outcome measures included: Single Leg Stance, Four Square Step Test, 30-second Sit-To-Stand, Timed Up & Go, 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) to identify changes in QOL, gait parameters, and the 6-Minute Walk Test. Both groups improved significantly in measures of gait, but only the TCG demonstrated significant improvements in the Energy/Fatigue levels subcategory of the SF-36 (p = .011). Further support for benefits in QOL associated with TC was provided by the differences in SF-36 scores for the category of Emotional Well-being as well as the overall SF-36 scores. Our results show that although people with MO face many barriers to participation in PA, performance of TC at home using digital media may be a gateway to greater levels of activity, which can lead to enhancements in QOL.