Effects of aerobic dance on physical work capacity, cardiovascular function and body composition of middle-aged women

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of aerobic dance on physical work capacity, cardiovascular function and body composition of young middle-aged women. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO₂ max), heart rate during submaximal treadmill walking, resting heart rate and blood pressure, and body composition were determined before and after a 10-week aerobic dance conditioning program in 28 women (18 experimental and 10 control), aged 25 to 44 years. During the 10-week treatment period, the experimental subjects participated in 45 min of aerobic dance at 70-85% of the heart rate reserve, 3 days · week^-1, whereas the control group did not participate in any regular strenuous physical activity. Changes in the experimental group were significantly greater than in the control group for VO₂ max expressed in 1 · min^-1 or relative to body weight or fat-free weight (5 to 7% vs. -5 to -8%), time on a continuous grade-incremented walking treadmill test (16% vs. 1%), heart rate during submaximal stages of the treadmill test (-9% vs. 1%) and resting heart rate (-8% vs. 2%). Resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure; body weight; percent fat, fat weight, and fat-free weight estimated using underwater weighing; sum of seven skinfolds; and sum of seven circumferences did not change significantly in either group. It was concluded that aerobic dance performed 30-45 min, 3 days · week^-l for 10 weeks significantly improves physical work capacity and cardiovascular function, but without dietary control, does not alter body composition in sedentary middle-aged women.