title: An after-school dance and lifestyle education program reduces risk factors for heart disease and diabetes in elementary school children.
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.
  
  
  METHODS
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Clinical and Translational Science Center, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA. jeh9008@nyp.org
authors.forename: Jeannette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hogg
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.forename: Margareth
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Cid
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mueller
authors.forename: Elizabeth Grace
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Lipman
authors.forename: Sunita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cheruvu
authors.forename: Ya-lin
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vogiatzi
authors.forename: Saroj
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nimkarn
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003615:Dancing / Q000523:psychology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration