Aerobic Dance Exercise and Its Effect on Cardio Respiratory Variables and Body Composition of Obese Youth and Adolescents in College of Education Ila- Orangun, Nigeria

Abstract

Obese female youth show less participation in physical exercise and physical education programmes. This had led to poor conditions among them and justifies the need for them to engage in aerobic dance training. With obesity, numerous complications such as high blood pressure increase in heart rate and body mass index may arise. A structured exercise performed rhythmically to the tune of music to reduce these complications due to Aerobic dance exercise (ADE) of obese female youth in College of education Ila- orangun have been well reported. One hundred and seventy-two (172) obese female youth were recruited from five schools within the college. The subjects were randomized into intervention group which participated in 12-week Aerobic Dance Exercises and the control group did not engage in an organized training. Heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, body weight and body mass index were measured before and after training. Instrument used were sphygmomanometer, stethoscope, skinfold caliper, stadiometer, weighing scale and heart rate monitor. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics Analysis of covariance at 0.05 were used in analyzing the data. There were significant effects of treatment on body weight  (F_(1,165)=10.877;P< 0.05 Æž²=0.037), percent body fat (F_(1,165)= 12.379; P< 0.05 Æž²=0.105); resting heart rate (F_(1,165)=15.638; P< 0.05 Æž²=0.056); systolic blood pressure (F_(1,165)=14.486;P<0.05 Æž²=0.016); diastolic blood pressure (F_(1,165)=5.375; P<0.005 Æž²=0.050) respectively. Aerobic dance exercise is capable of lessening high blood pressure, heart rate and body mass index associated with obesity, hence it should be included in the school curriculum.