Effects Of A Dance Intervention On Physical Activty And Sedentary Behavior Preference In African-American Girls

Abstract

African-American (AA) girls’ physical activity (PA) declines while their sedentary behavior (SB) increases in the progression from pre-adolescence to adolescence. AA girls’ preference for PA and SB have been related to their level of PA and SB. Currently, it is unknown if participation in a PA intervention can alter PA or SB preference. PURPOSE: To examine if a 12-week culturally-tailored dance intervention can alter PA or SB preferences and its subsequent effect on SB levels in AA girls. METHODS: Data from pre-adolescent AA girls (n=49, age= 8.3±1.3yrs; BMI=19.3±5.1 kg/m2) participating in the Mothers and Girls Dancing Together Trial were used for this secondary analysis. The PA intervention consisted of 60 minutes of culturally-tailored moderate-to-vigorous dancing delivered 3 days/week for 12 weeks. PA and SB preferences were assessed using validated questionnaires. SB levels were assessed using Actigraph GT3X accelerometers for seven days. Associations between PA preference and SB preference were examined using Spearman correlations. Changes in PA and SB preferences were assessed using 2x2 ANOVA and changes in SB levels were assessed using MANOVA. RESULTS: There was a significant association between PA preference and SB preference (r=0.45, p<0.0001). No other significant findings were observed. CONCLUSION: In the current sample of AA girls, participation in a culturally-tailored dance intervention was not effective in altering SB and PA preferences. The lack of change in PA or SB preference could be due to the fact that the intervention did not directly target changing PA or SB preferences. Future culturally-tailored dance interventions should include intervention strategies that directly target altering an individual’s PA and/or SB preferences. Supported by: NIH:NIDDK (K01 DK087812)