Effects of step aerobics and aerobic dancing on serum lipids and lipoproteins.

BACKGROUND

To examine the effect of 8 weeks of step aerobics and aerobic dancing on blood lipids and lipoproteins.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Comparative training.

SETTING

Two months of physical fitness program.

PARTICIPANTS

Forty-five sedentary female college student volunteers randomly assigned to one of the three groups as step aerobics (n=15), aerobic dancing (n=15) and the control group (n=15). The step aerobics and aerobic dancing groups participated in sessions of 45 min per day, 3 days per week for 8 weeks with 60-70 percent of their heart rate reserve.

MEASURES

Total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (HDL-C), the ratio of total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TC:HDL-C).

RESULTS

At the end of the 8 week period, a significant difference has been found between the step aerobics group and the control group and between the aerobic dancing group and the control group in TC levels (F[2,44]=8.38; p<0.01). A significant difference in HDL-C levels (F[2,44]=3.65; p<0.05) and TC:HDL-C ratio (F[2,44]=11.56; p<0.01) has been found only between the step aerobics group and the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that step aerobics training is an effective training mode for modifying lipid and lipoprotein profiles of female college-aged students.