Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

I read the article by Mosher, Ferguson and Arnold [[1]] that investigated lipid and lipoprotein changes in premenstrual women following step aerobic dance training. In this study they compared the effects of 12 weeks of interval step aerobics training (IS) and continuous step aerobics training (CS) on cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition and lipid and lipoprotein concentrations. They found that 12 weeks of interval step aerobics training resulted in increased HDL-C concentrations and also both IS and CS training resulted in improved cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition.

In this study they indicated in the introduction section “no published studies have examined the effects of step bench training on plasma lipid and lipoprotein concentrations”. In addition in the discussion section they stated “the increase in HDL-C concentration is the first to be documented following an aerobic dance-training program with women”. When I read the article by Mosher et al. [[1]] I was surprised by these statements because in a previous study [[2]] we examined and compared the effects of 8 weeks of step aerobics and aerobic dance training on blood lipid and lipoproteins. In this study 45 sedentary women college students were recruited as subjects and were randomly and equally assigned to a step aerobics group, an aerobic dancing group and the control group. Subjects in both step aerobics and aerobic dancing groups participated in sessions of 45 min per day, 3 days per week for 8 weeks with 60 - 70 % of their heart rate reserve. After 8 weeks of training we found a significant increase in HDL-C concentration in the step aerobics group. In addition we also found that 8 weeks of step aerobics and aerobic dance training resulted in a significant decrease in TC concentration in both step aerobics and aerobic dance groups and also TC : HDL-C ratio showed significant decrease in the step aerobics group. Mosher et al. [[1]] completely neglected our study and did not consider our study in which significant improvements in aerobic-dance training program was obtained (like decrease in TC levels and TC : HDL-C ratio and also increase in HDL-C concentration).

References

• 1 Mosher P E, Ferguson M A, Arnold R O. Lipid and lipoprotein changes in premenstrual women following step aerobic dance training.  Int J Sports Med. 2005;  26 669-674
• 2 Kin İsler A, Kosar S N, Korkusuz F. Effects of step aerobics and aerobic dancing on serum lipids and lipoproteins.  J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2001;  41 380-385