Sarengue®: South-American dance rhythms reduce the waist-to-hip girth ratio specifically and significantly in comparison to the standard exercise program of a well-established multimodal weight loss program
Loew T.H., Golomb R., Bernhard A.
University hospital of Regensburg, psychosomatic medicine, Regensburg, Germany, dancing school Alex, Zirndorf, Germany
Movement constitutes an elementary therapy factor. Self-motivation and consequent co-acting are indispensable for a long-term success and represent also the greatest psychological obstacle. Populations indulging the South-American dance seldom show figure and weight problems. It is not new that therapy concepts in groups are superior to individual ones. Can specific movement patterns bring additional effects?
In the context of a matched pair study 30 participants of an Optifast group integrated in the movement module weekly took part in a 45-minute standardized dance programm with motion sequences offered by a qualified physiotherapist hereby including the dance styles Salsa and Merengue showing gentleness to the joints. The BMI changes of the participants as well as the waist-to-hip ratio were subject to being compared with a matched pair group of the pool of predecessors (Showing 10 years of experience with the Optifast program, the center has meanwhile more than 500 participants) meanwhile having undergone a phase of 3 months of formula diets.
11 men and 19 women, matched according to their age, BMI and starting waist-to-hip ratios were able to reduce their BMI of 41.2 on average (SD 10.4) by 19% in comparison to the control group. (no significant difference). The waist circumference decreased in the control group from 113cm to 108cm on average (SD 8.1cm), in the experimental group on average by further 3cm. The hip circumference decreased from 105cm to 102cm on average (SD 4.5cm).
Sarengue® obtains at least in the first slimming phase specific circumference reductions in the critical sectors of waist and hips even beyond the known weight loss. Long-term studies remain pending.
