Experts At 2008 American Geriatrics Society Annual Scientific Meeting Reveal How Popular Video Dance Game Helps Postmenopaual Women

Main Category: Seniors / Aging
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 23 Apr 2008 - 3:00 PDT

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A video dance game that's wildly popular among the teen set can help older women lose weight, lower their blood pressure, improve their coordination, and sharpen their concentration -- all while thoroughly enjoying themselves -- according to a study that will be presented here, at the American Geriatrics Society's Annual Scientific Meeting, on May 3. The meeting is the premier conference on aging research.

In the 6-week University of Pittsburgh pilot study, 31 sedentary, postmenopausal women - ages 48 to 70 - played the game, Dance Dance Revolution, or DDR, in individually coached sessions. The 30-minute sessions were scheduled twice a week, but two-thirds of the women enjoyed the game so much that they asked to play longer, or more often, notes lead researcher, Stephanie Studenski, MD, MPH, a professor in the university's division of geriatric medicine. Of the 31 women, 25 completed all 12 exercise sessions, and 28 completed follow up tests at the end of the six weeks.

The women who completed the tests lost an average of about a pound over the six weeks, but some of those who were heavier lost significantly more -- up to 20 pounds. Study participants with high blood pressure lowered their blood pressure by up to 20 points. The group as a whole boosted their scores on tests of coordination and concentration significantly.

All of the women in the study said they felt safe playing the video dance game without supervision, and more than 90% said they thought it was enjoyable, that they could play it on their own, and said they would recommend it to others. These women cited the fun of playing, the variety, and the option of playing at any time and in any weather as major advantages of the game as a fitness activity. Three-quarters of the women asked to continue the program on their own after the study ended.

"If we can engage people in mid-life in recreational health activities like this it will pay off as they continue to age," says Dr. Studenski, who says she, too, is hooked on the game and has lost 50 pounds playing it. She and colleagues are about to begin a study aimed at determining whether the video dance game might benefit adults with early-stage Parkinson's, and are planning a third study to see whether the game could help boost bone strength in women at high risk of osteoporosis.

Developed in Japan a decade ago, Dance Dance Revolution is extremely popular among younger adults, teenagers and kids. Several hundred schools in about a dozen states are already using the video dance game as a regular part of their physical education programs. Players stand on pressure-sensitive mats in front of a video console. As a song plays, arrows pointing in one of four directions -- forward, back, left, or right -- appear on the screen in various combinations. Players step on corresponding arrows on their mats to earn rewards and move up to higher and more challenging levels.

About AGS

Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society is a nationwide, not-for-profit association of geriatrics health care professionals dedicated to improving the health, independence and quality of life of all older people. The Society supports this mission through activities in clinical practice, professional and public education, research and public policy. With an active membership of over 6,700 health care professionals, the Society has become a pivotal force in shaping attitudes, policies and practices in geriatric medicine.

American Geriatrics Society