Efficacy of a Culture-Specific Dancing Programme to Meet Current Physical Activity Recommendations in Postmenopausal Women

Jennifer Hargan, Emilie Combet, Paul Dougal, Mhairi McGowan, Mary Ann Lumsden and Dalia Malkova
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Jennifer Hargan: School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, New Lister Building, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow G31 2ER, UK
Emilie Combet: School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, New Lister Building, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow G31 2ER, UK
Paul Dougal: School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, New Lister Building, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow G31 2ER, UK
Mhairi McGowan: School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, New Lister Building, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow G31 2ER, UK
Mary Ann Lumsden: School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, New Lister Building, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow G31 2ER, UK
Dalia Malkova: School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, New Lister Building, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow G31 2ER, UK

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 16, 1-10

Abstract: This study investigated the efficacy of participation in culture-specific dancing to meet current physical activity recommendations and increase cardio-respiratory fitness in postmenopausal women. Sedentary postmenopausal women (n = 24), aged 63 ± 8 years and with BMI of 28 ± 3 kg/m 2 completed a 4-week Scottish dancing study. The dancing sessions of approximately 75 min were performed twice a week and each session was based on five Scottish dances performed in 3 sets. Heart rate (HR) measurements were obtained during all dances to evaluate whether the intervention achieves the criteria of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise intensity. Body composition, waist circumference, and HR during Chester Step test were measured before and after dancing intervention. HR achieved during individual dances ranged from 64 ± 5% to 80 ± 5% of HRmax and the mean HR of the five dances corresponded to 72 ± 7% of HRmax. Post-intervention mean HR was lower throughout Level 2 (Pre, 112 ± 13 bpm; Post, 106 ± 13 bpm; p = 0.005) and Level 3 (Pre, 122 ± 14 bpm; Post, 115 ± 14 bpm; p = 0.006) of the Chester test compared with baseline values. The intervention had no impact on body weight or body fat but reduced waist circumference (Pre, 94 ± 8 cm; Post, 91 ± 9 cm; p = 0.006). Thus, traditional Scottish dancing should be advocated to sedentary postmenopausal women, emphasising its potential in meeting current physical activity recommendations in relation of weekly duration and exercise intensity and improving cardiorespiratory fitness.

Keywords: postmenopausal women; physical activity recommendations; cardiorespiratory fitness; dancing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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