The study introduced, a school-based, culturally adapted dance program aimed at reducing risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in adolescent girls in India.
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To tackle rising physical inactivity and associated health concerns among adolescents in India, a research team from Chennai conducted a study introducing a dance-based intervention to reduce non-communicable disease (NCD) risks among urban adolescent girls.
Published in Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology on April 21, the study titled A Novel High-Intensity Short Interval Dance Intervention (THANDAV) for Non-Communicable Disease Prevention Tailored to Asian Indian Adolescent Girls assesses the feasibility and efficacy of the THANDAV programme – short for Taking High-Intensity Interval Training And Dance to Adolescents for Victory over NCDs. It was led by R.M. Anjana, managing director of Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Specialties Centre and president of the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, in Chennai.
The intervention is positioned against a backdrop of rising NCD prevalence in India, particularly among young populations in low-income urban communities. Recognising that adolescent girls are often disproportionately excluded from organised sports or active play, the researchers sought a culturally resonant, gender-sensitive solution that could be practically delivered in school environments.
Design and delivery of the THANDAV model
Dr. Anjana explained how this new dance-based program can help young girls in India become more active. She also addressed the cultural barriers often associated with traditional forms of exercise. “This is the first-of-its-kind and culturally appropriate dance intervention designed to boost physical activity among girls. In our country, the term ‘exercise’ often has negative connotations and isn’t always culturally accepted, especially for girls. So we introduced dance to make it more enjoyable and relevant,” she said.
The study was carried out in two government-aided schools in Chennai, involving 108 adolescent girls aged 13 to 15. The participants were randomly assigned to an intervention or control group. Those in the intervention group engaged in a 12-week high-intensity interval training (HIIT) dance programme, consisting of ten-minute sessions conducted five times a week during school hours. The routine incorporated traditional Indian dance forms and music for cultural familiarity and appeal. The control group continued with routine physical education, which served as a comparative benchmark for physical activity and health-related outcomes.
Facilitators trained in both physical fitness and dance delivery conducted the sessions, and adherence was monitored throughout. Importantly, the structure of the programme was designed to integrate seamlessly into the academic timetable, requiring no additional physical infrastructure or after-school time, making it replicable in similar educational settings with minimal cost.
“We started with a small pilot study to prove that it was a high-intensity activity. Now, we’ve taken it to schools through a randomised controlled trial, and the results have been very encouraging. The girls loved it, their mothers joined in, and we saw real health improvements — like reduced body fat, better metabolic profiles, increased step counts, and overall lifestyle changes,” Dr. Anjana said.
Key outcomes and statistical insights
The study reports several statistically significant differences between the intervention and control groups across multiple physical and metabolic indicators after 12 weeks. Girls in the THANDAV group showed a substantial increase in physical activity, averaging 1,159 additional steps per day. Reductions in body mass index (BMI), total body fat percentage, and waist-to-hip ratio were also observed, suggesting improved metabolic health.
Moreover, skeletal muscle mass in the intervention group increased significantly over the study period, pointing to enhanced muscular strength and conditioning. Cardiovascular markers such as systolic and diastolic blood pressure, as well as resting heart rate, were all found to have improved. These changes reflect a broader improvement in both aerobic capacity and autonomic regulation. The World Health Organization (WHO) also recommends that children and adolescents should engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity daily, including HIIT.
The authors noted that the short duration and high intensity of the intervention contributed to these results, aligning with evidence from global HIIT research, but offering the novelty of cultural adaptation for Indian adolescents.
Beyond increased physical activity, the THANDAV intervention demonstrated measurable physiological benefits. Participants in the intervention group experienced an average weight reduction of 0.7 kg and a decrease in body fat by 2%, alongside a 0.3 kg/m² reduction in BMI. Notably, skeletal muscle mass rose by an average of 0.9 kg over the 12-week period. Improvements were also evident in cardiovascular health, with systolic and diastolic blood pressure each dropping by 4 mm Hg, and resting heart rate decreasing by three beats per minute
The authors emphasis the THANDAV model presents a viable, scalable strategy for addressing physical inactivity among girls in low-resource school settings. Given the intervention’s reliance on dance– a non-competitive, socially acceptable form of movement in Indian culture– it avoids the barriers often associated with conventional sports-based fitness programmes, especially among adolescent girls.
Additionally, the study provides a replicable template that could inform future school-based interventions, particularly in countries with similar cultural and socioeconomic profiles. The integration of THANDAV into school timetables without disrupting academic priorities enhances its feasibility.
The research team concludes that THANDAV could serve as a preventive strategy in the broader national effort to reduce NCD risk from an early age.
Published – April 24, 2025 12:56 am IST