Effects of a 10-Week Zumba Program on Anxiety and Depression in Adults

Manuel Jesús Rodríguez Chavarría40 enrolled

Overview

This randomized controlled trial aimed to examine the effects of a 10-week Zumba exercise program on anxiety and depression levels in healthy adults. Participants aged 40 to 65 years were randomly assigned to either a Zumba intervention group or a control group that maintained their usual lifestyle. The intervention consisted of three supervised Zumba sessions per week, each lasting approximately 50 minutes. Anxiety and depression were assessed before and after the intervention using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The study sought to determine whether a structured, group-based aerobic exercise program could improve psychological well-being in a non-clinical adult population.

This study was designed as a randomized controlled trial to investigate the impact of a structured Zumba exercise program on anxiety and depression in healthy adults. Participants were recruited from the community and randomly allocated to either a Zumba intervention group or a control group. The intervention group participated in a 10-week Zumba program, consisting of three supervised sessions per week. Each session lasted approximately 50 minutes and was conducted at moderate intensity, monitored using the Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion scale. Sessions included a standardized warm-up, choreographed aerobic dance routines, and a cool-down period. The control group was instructed to maintain their usual lifestyle and not to engage in any new structured exercise programs during the study period. Anxiety and depression were assessed at baseline and after the intervention using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). All assessments were conducted under standardized conditions by trained researchers. The primary objective was to evaluate changes in anxiety and depression symptoms between groups following the intervention. The study was conducted in accordance with ethical standards, and all participants provided written informed consent prior to participation.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

Interventions

Zumba-based Exercise ProgramBEHAVIORAL

Participants assigned to this intervention received a supervised Zumba-based exercise program lasting 10 consecutive weeks. The intervention consisted of group-based aerobic dance sessions conducted several times per week and led by a qualified instructor. Sessions included choreographed dance movements performed to music, designed to elicit moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and to promote cardiovascular fitness and overall physical engagement. The program followed a standardized structure across sessions and was implemented as the sole intervention during the study period.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 40 YearsMax age: 65 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * adults aged between 40 and 65 years * not having regularly practised Zumba or other dance disciplines during the previous 12 months * medical authorisation or absence of pathologies to participate in supervised physical activity Exclusion Criteria: * presence of orthopaedic, neurological, cardiorespiratory conditions or lack of standing stability that would prevent safe completion of the programme * participation in any other structured exercise programme during the intervention period * missing more than 10% of the total sessions (missing more than 2 sessions)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety and depression were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), a validated self-report questionnaire designed to detect clinically relevant symptoms of anxiety and depression in non-psychiatric populations. The scale consists of 14 items divided into two subscales: anxiety (HADS-A) and depression (HADS-D), each ranging from 0 to 21 points, with higher scores indicating greater symptom severity. Total HADS scores range from 0 to 42. Changes in total and subscale scores were used to evaluate the effects of the intervention on psychological well-being.

Time frame: Baseline and Week 10 (end of intervention)