Effects of dancing on physical activity levels of children and adolescents: a systematic review

Women with disabilities, body image, and wellbeing: Assessing the effectiveness of dance sessions

INTRODUCTION

There is growing research evidence on bodily discourses and body image issues of women with disabilities. Within the art-based intervention repertoire for persons with disabilities, dance and movement-based therapies and interventions are gaining prominence. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of dance sessions (delivered online) on body image, body satisfaction/dissatisfaction, and wellbeing of women with disabilities.

METHOD

A quasi-experimental waitlist control design study was conducted with data collected at two time points: baseline or pre-test and five-months later or post-test. Outcomes were measured using the Body Image Scale and the WHO-5-Wellbeing Index.

RESULTS

The dance sessions were effective (Hedges' g = -0.56 -0.88; p < 0.01) and post-test body dissatisfaction scores were lower and wellbeing scores were higher for participants with a college degree or postgraduate degree, self-employed or students, and whose intervention compliance was above threshold (>50% dance sessions attended and corresponding homework sessions completed). Tobit regression models indicated that it was possible to estimate post-test outcomes due to dance sessions alone, controlling for significant socio-demographics.

DISCUSSION

The domain knowledge of non-pharmacological art-based interventions for persons with disabilities, particularly women, is supported.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings commend dance sessions as effective psychotherapeutic mechanisms to mitigate body dissatisfaction, improve body image and wellbeing of women with disabilities. Future research may focus on large-scale cross-sectional trials, variations in the repertoire for women with different disability types and histories, and qualitative narratives.

Effect of Latin dance on physical and mental health: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Latin dance is a well-liked physical activity. It has gained increasing attention as an exercise intervention for improving physical and mental health outcomes. This systematic review examines the effects of Latin dance on physical and mental health.

METHODS

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) were used to report the data for this review. To gather research from the literature, we used recognized academic and scientific databases such SportsDiscus with Full Text, PsycINFO, Cochrane, Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science. The systematic review only included 22 studies out of the 1,463 that matched all inclusion criteria. The PEDro scale was used to rate each study's quality. 22 research received scores between 3 and 7.

RESULTS

Latin dance has been demonstrated to promote physical health by helping people lose weight, improve cardiovascular health, increase muscle strength and tone, and improve flexibility and balance. Furthermore, Latin dance can benefit mental health by reducing stress, improving mood, social connection, and cognitive function.

CONCLUSIONS

Finding from this systematic review provide substantial evidence that Latin dance has effect on physical and mental health. Latin dance has the potential to be a powerful and pleasurable public health intervention.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

CRD42023387851, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero .

The Physiological and Psychological Benefits of Dance and its Effects on Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review

Background: The aim of this review was to examine the physiological and psychological benefits of dance and its effects on children and adolescents. We consider the therapeutic benefits of dance and outline the potential of dance as an alternative therapy for certain pathologies and medical disorders. Secondly, we summarize the types of dances used in physical interventions, and comment on the methodologies used. Finally, we consider the use of dance as a different exercise modality that may have benefits for increased physical activity generally, and for increased physical education provision in schools.

Methods: A structured search strategy was conducted using the databases of PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of science, PsycARTICLES, and Social Science database. This review used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for systematic reviews. Studies that were published in the past 20 years were considered for inclusion. All written publications were searched for in English, and all articles included in this review were peer reviewed full papers.

Conclusion: The key findings from this review indicate that dance is a feasible alternative to traditional physical activity. The findings also indicate that dance provides physiological and psychological benefits to healthy and medically compromised populations. Implementation of dance programs in schools and society generally needs serious consideration by policy makers. We hope that the results of this review stimulate debate and provide the necessary evidence to profile dance as a viable alternative medium of physical activity. Comprehensive and integrated changes will be needed including economical and legislative support from politicians and associated governmental agencies. The findings reported here are important and have implications for health policy change, reconfiguration, and implementation.

A Novel High-Intensity Short Interval Dance Intervention (THANDAV) to Improve Physical Fitness in Asian Indian Adolescent Girls

Background: There exist several barriers to physical activity (PA) among adolescent girls. We therefore developed a culturally acceptable dance/fitness intervention called THANDAV (Taking High-Intensity Interval Training [HIIT] ANd Dance to Adolescents for Victory over noncommunicable diseases [NCDs]). The main aim of this study was to evaluate the THANDAV protocol among Asian Indian girls aged 10 to 17 years. Materials and Methods: THANDAV consisted of a 10-min routine with high- and low-intensity dance steps that was taught to 23 adolescent girls. Heart rate (HR), energy expenditure, body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure (BP) were recorded. Focused group discussions (FGDs) were conducted after the quantitative measurements were completed. Results: The average age of the girls was 13.9 ± 2.1 years, and the mean BMI and BP were 19.8 ± 3.3 kg/m² and 107/68 (±8/7) mm/Hg, respectively. All participants achieved 80% of their maximum HR during the first dance and managed to sustain this HR throughout the 10-min routine. There was a significant increase in the HR (bpm) [88.7 ± 8.4 to 195.6 ± 11.8, P < 0.001] and VO₂ (L/min) [0.025 ± 0.0 to 0.395 ± 0.1, P < 0.001] postintervention. The average energy cost of the activity (metabolic equivalent) was 6.3. The FGDs revealed that THANDAV was a socially acceptable, fun, and energetic form of PA. Conclusions: The THANDAV intervention meets HIIT norms and is a novel culturally appropriate form of PA that is enjoyable, takes little time, and can be done at home. It has the potential to be a sustainable intervention to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and prevent NCDs in Asian Indian adolescent girls. Clinical Trials Registry of India: CTRI/2020/02/023384.

Chinese Classical Dancers Have Improved Spontaneous Activity in Visual Brain Areas

Abstract. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies demonstrate that long-term exercise or dance training may cause changes in brain structure and function. However, the changes of neurofunction in the long-term practitioners of Chinese classical dance are still unclear. The purpose of the study is to explore the neurofunctional alterations associated with long-term Chinese classical dance training. Thirty female college students were selected, 15 students majoring in Chinese classical dance (average training years = 9.73 ± 1.75 years) and 15 education-matched non-dancer students with no previous experience of regular dance training. In this cross-sectional design, the resting-state fMRI data were acquired only once to observe the structural and functional changes of the brain. Compared with non-dancers, professional dancers had no significant difference in the total volume of whole brain, gray matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid. While in professional dancers, we found increased amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) in the left superior occipital gyrus, right Cuneus, and left calcarine fissure and surrounding cortex (Calcarine); increased fractional ALFF and regional homogeneity in the right Calcarine, indicating the increase of spontaneous brain activity in these brain areas. Since these brain areas are related to visual cognitive function, the results suggest that long-term Chinese classical dance training is associated with increased spontaneous regional brain activity in the visual areas. This may be closely related to the specific characteristics of Chinese classical dance and long-term professional training.