title: Descriptive epidemiology of dance participation in adolescents.
abstract: The aims of this study were to describe the prevalence of dance participation in U.S. adolescents and to estimate the contribution of dance to total moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). The sample was composed of 3,598 adolescents from the 2003-06 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Youth reported frequency and duration of physical activities performed in the past month. Dance participation prevalence was calculated; among those who reported dance, its contribution to total MVPA was estimated. The prevalence of dance was much higher in girls (34.8%) than boys (8.4%). Girls had a greater contribution of dance to total MVPA (39.3%) than boys (23.0%). Dance is a prevalent form of physical activity among girls, and it accounts for a substantial fraction of their total MVPA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbus, SC 29208, USA. oneilljr@mailbox.sc.edu
authors.forename: Jennifer R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.forename: Russell R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Pate
authors.forename: Angela D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Liese
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003615:Dancing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult