Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Clinical Trial
. 2012;25(5-6):509-16.
doi: 10.1515/jpem-2012-0027.

An after-school dance and lifestyle education program reduces risk factors for heart disease and diabetes in elementary school children

Jeannette Hogg  1 , Alejandro Diaz, Margareth Del Cid, Charles Mueller, Elizabeth Grace Lipman, Sunita Cheruvu, Ya-lin Chiu, Maria Vogiatzi, Saroj Nimkarn
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

An after-school dance and lifestyle education program reduces risk factors for heart disease and diabetes in elementary school children

Jeannette Hogg et al. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2012.

Abstract

Background: Forty-three percent of New York City's (NYC) school-age children are overweight or obese, placing them at risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine if an intensive after-school dance and lifestyle education program would reduce risk factors for heart disease, T2DM, and improve lifestyle choices.

Subjects: Subject include 64 fourth- and fifth-grade students at an elementary school in NYC.

Methods: Students received freestyle dance and lifestyle classes for 16 weeks and were evaluated for changes in body composition, endurance, biochemical measurements, and lifestyle choices.

Results: Significant improvements in BMI percentiles were found among children in the overweight and obese categories as well as in endurance and biochemical measurements that reflect heart disease and diabetes risk. Improvement was also reported in lifestyle choices.

Conclusion: An intensive after-school dance and lifestyle education program can reduce risk factors for heart disease and T2DM and improve lifestyle choices among elementary school children.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Botero D, Wolfsdorf JI. Diabetes mellitus in children and adolescents. Arch Med Res. 2005;36:281–90. - PubMed
    1. Caprio S, Tamborlane WV. Metabolic impact of obesity in childhood. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 1999;28:731–47. - PubMed
    1. Clinton Smith J. The current epidemic of childhood obesity and its implications for future coronary heart disease. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2004;51:1679–95. - PubMed
    1. Dietz WH. Childhood weight affects adult morbidity and mortality. J Nutr. 1998;128(Suppl):411S–4S. - PubMed
    1. Dietz WH. Health consequences of obesity in youth: childhood predictors of adult disease. Pediatrics. 1998;101(Pt 2):518–25. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms