Latin dance and Qigong/Tai Chi effects on physical activity and body composition in breast cancer survivors: A pilot study
Author: Erica G Soltero1, Linda K Larkey2, Wonsun Sunny Kim3, Jose B Rosales Chavez4, Rebecca E Lee3
Affiliation:
1 Children's Nutrition Research Center, Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, 1100 Bates Avenue, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
2 Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, 500 N. 3rd Street, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA. Electronic address: linda.larkey@asu.edu.
3 Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation, Arizona State University, 500 N. 3rd Street, Phoenix, AZ, 85004, USA.
4 School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning, Arizona State University, 975 S. Myrtle Ave, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA.
Conference/Journal: Complement Ther Clin Pract
Date published: 2022 Feb 15
Other:
Volume ID: 47 , Pages: 101554 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2022.101554. , Word Count: 269
Background:
Breast cancer survivors (BCS), particularly Latina BCS, experience weight gain and reduced physical activity (PA) post-treatment increasing the risk for recurrence. There is a lack of evidence on the intensity and type of PA needed to engage cultural subgroups and improve clinical outcomes. This study developed and piloted two non-traditional PA interventions among a diverse sample of BCS.
Methods:
Twenty BCS (65% Latina; age 25-75) participated in a 2-arm parallel group-randomized pilot study to test the effects of an 8-week Latin dance and Qigong/Tai Chi intervention on PA and body composition. A seven-day pedometer protocol was used to measure steps/week and a bioelectric impedence scale was used to assess BMI and %body fat. T-tests were used to examine preliminary outcomes across both interventions and within intervention arms.
Results:
There were no significant changes in steps/week, BMI, or %body fat across or in each separate intervention. A small effect size for increase in steps/day was found among participants in the Qigong/Tai Chi arm (0.10) and low-to-moderate effect sizes for reductions in % body fat overall (0.36), and separately for participants in Latin dance (0.26) and Qigong/Tai Chi (0.46).
Conclusion:
Latin dance and Qigong/Tai Chi are engaging and acceptable PA modalities that are promising for improving PA and body fat among diverse, high-risk BCS. Our findings highlight the need to continue to reach and engage high-risk BCS, including Latina survivors, using novel, culturally-sensitive PA interventions. Future studies should extend and more rigorously test these novel approaches to improving outcomes associated with recurrence.
Keywords: Body composition; Breast cancer survivors; Latin dance; Physical activity; Qigong; Tai chi.
PMID: 35257993 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2022.101554
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