Mothers and Girls Dancing Together Trial
Condition: Physical Activity
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The purpose of this study is to examine the feasibility and efficacy of a 12-week afterschool
      afro-centric dance physical activity program for daughters and mothers on the physical
      activity level of African-American girls.
    

Detailed description: 
      Like African-American women, African-American girls suffer disproportionately from obesity
      and Type 2 diabetes mellitus. One factor strongly associated with the development of obesity
      and Type 2 diabetes mellitus disparities in children is low physical activity levels. Low
      physical activity is more prevalent in African-American girls, pointing to the critical need
      for effective physical activity interventions. For a physical activity intervention message
      to be effective among African-American girls, the program must be enjoyable and tailored to
      African-American girls and women. One possibility for an appropriate physical activity
      intervention is afro-centric dance, which has strong cultural and historical significance in
      the African-American community. This form of physical activity may provide girls with
      sustained bouts of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. There appears to be a strong
      positive correlation between parental and children physical activity levels. In the
      African-American culture, maternal health behaviors in particular have a strong influence on
      children's health behaviors. Currently, there are no studies that examine the effects of a
      daughter-mother Afro-centric dance program on the physical activity levels of
      African-American girls. Therefore, the purpose of this study will be to examine the
      feasibility and efficacy of a 12-week physical activity intervention consisting of
      afro-centric dance and its ability to affect the physical activity levels of African-American
      girls. If investigators identify afro-centric dance as a sustainable form of physical
      activity for African-American daughters and mothers, investigators can use this intervention
      to significantly reduce obesity and Type 2 diabetes mellitus in these groups.
    

Intervention name(s): Girls and mothers Afro-centric dance program; Girls, alone; Newsletter
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral; Other
Intervention description(s): African-American girls and their mom's will participate in an after school Afro-centric dance program for 3 days/week for 12 weeks. Both girls and the mothers will also receive weekly newsletter containing various health information.; African-American girls (without their mom's) will participate in an after school Afro-centric dance program for 3 days/week for 12 weeks. Both girls and the mothers will also receive weekly newsletter containing various health information.; Both girls and the mothers will receive weekly newsletter containing various health information.
Other intervention name(s): Girls and mothers, together; Control
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention