Metabolic HealthNCT07615829
Health Benefits of Dance Exercise
A study testing Exercise training and No exercise training in people with Metabolic Health and Mental Health, run by University of Thessaly at 1 site in Greece.
Trial summary
In Greece, people of different age groups, including young children to older adults, participate in dance exercise training. Although it is well-known that regular participation in dancing is associated with benefits such as entertainment, socialization and increased physical activity, the long-term effects of dancing… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 35 to 70 years, women onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Metabolic Health, Mental Health, Physical Performance
- What is being tested?
- Exercise training and No exercise training
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 40 participants
- Where
- 1 siteGreece
- Study dates
- 30 May 2026to 20 Dec 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 35 to 70 years
- Women only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Free of musculoskeletal injuries
- Free of chronic non-communicable diseases
- Normal menstrual cycle (for premenopausal women)
- No recent childbirth (previous 12 months) (for premenopausal women)
- At least 12 months since the oncet of menopause (for postmenopausal women)
- Non smokers
Who cannot join
- Pregnancy (for premenopausal women)
- Contraindications to exercise training
- Illness or other medical condition
- Use of medication
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Greece1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly
Trikala, Karies, 42100
Ioannis G Fatouros, PhD, +30 24310 47047, ifatouros@uth.gr
Athanasios Z Jamurtas, PhD, +30 2431047054, ajamurt@uth.gr
About this study
Official title: Effects of a 6-month Dance Exercise Intervention on Physical Performance, Metabolic and Mental Health in Pre- and Post-menopausal Women
In Greece, people of different age groups, including young children to older adults, participate in dance exercise training. Although it is well-known that regular participation in dancing is associated with benefits such as entertainment, socialization and increased physical activity, the long-term effects of dancing on metabolic and mental health as well as physical performance remain largely unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effects of a 6-month dancing exercise intervention on metabolic and mental health and physical performance in premenopausal and postmenopausal women.
Read the detailed description
Twenty premenopausal and twenty postmenopausal inactive women meeting the inclusion criteria will be randomly assigned to a Control (n=20) or an Experimental group (n=20). The Control group will maintain their habitual physical activity level without participating in any form of exercise training. The Experimental group will participate in two weekly dance exercise training sessions over a 6-month period. Each session will be performed under supervision and include a 10-min warm up (2-3 dances of very slow tempo), a 45-min main dance exercise session (~15 dances of various tempos i.e. slow, moderate and fast tempo) and a 5-min cool-down period (walking and stretching). Heart rate will be continuously monitored during each session by using heart rate monitors while the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) will be recorded at the end of each session. In addition, prior to the second dance exercise session in each week, participants' delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS) and wellness status (through the wellness report) will be evaluated. Prior to (Baseline) and after the intervention period (at 6 months) participants of both groups (Control and Experimental) will undergo resting blood sampling and assessment of their (i) anthropometrics, (ii) body composition, (iii) physical performance, (iv) physical activity level, (v) dietary intake, (vi) quality of life and (vii) mental health.
- Conditions
- Metabolic Health, Mental Health, Physical Performance
- Being tested
- Exercise training, No exercise training
- Medical subject headings
- Psychological Well-Being
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Exercise trainingOther
This intervention will consist of two weekly dance exercise training sessions over a 6-month period. Each session will be performed under supervision and include a 10-min warm up (2-3 dances of very slow tempo), a 45-min main dance exercise session (~15 dances of various tempos i.e. slow, moderate and fast tempo) and a 5-min cool-down period (walking and stretching)
No exercise trainingOther
It will include only habitual physical activity level without participating in any form of exercise training
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control Group | Active comparator | Participants in this group will maintain their habitual physical activity level without participating in any form of exercise training Receives: Other: No exercise training |
| Experimental Group | Experimental | Participants in this group will participate in two weekly dance exercise training sessions over a 6-month period Receives: Other: Exercise training |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in glucose concentration
Fasting glucose concentration will be determined in blood
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in insulin concentration
Fasting insulin concentration will be determined in blood
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in total cholesterol concentration
Total cholesterol concentration will be determined in blood
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in HDL cholesterol concentration
HDL cholesterol concentration will be determined in blood
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in LDL cholesterol concentration
LDL cholesterol concentration will be determined in blood
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in triglycerides concentration
Triglycerides concentration will be determined in blood
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT/AST) concentration
SGOT concentration will be determined in blood
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in alanine aminotransferase (SGPT/ALT) concentration
SGPT concentration will be determined in blood
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT) concentration
γ-GT concentration will be determined in blood
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in body weight
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in waist circumference
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in hip circumference
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in fat mass
Fat mass will be assessed using whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in body fat percentage (%)
Body fat percentage (%) will be assessed using whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in fat free mass
Fat free mass will be assessed using whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in lean body mass
Lean body mass will be assessed using whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in cardiorespiratory fitness
Cardiorespiratory fitness will be assessed using the Ebbeling single stage treadmill test
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in functional performance
Functional performance will be assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in muscle endurance
Muscle endurance will be assessed using the push-up and curl-up testing protocols
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in resting blood pressure
Resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure will be assessed using a sphygmomanometer
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in quality of life
Quality of life will be evaluated using questionnaire
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in vitality
Vitality will be evaluated using questionnaire
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in anxiety level
Anxiety will be evaluated using questionnaire
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in flourishing
Flourishing will be evaluated using questionnaire
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Secondary outcomes (3)
Change in dietary intake
Dietary intake will be monitored using diet recalls
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in daily number of steps
Daily number of steps performed will be assessed using accelerometers
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Change in daily time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity
The time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity will be assessed using accelerometers
Measured: At baseline and 6 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted29 May 2026
- Study start30 May 2026
- Primary completion30 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion20 Dec 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Metabolic HealthStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of ThessalyThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Thessaly
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Dimitrios Draganidis, University of Thessaly
- Investigators
- Maria Bougiesi, PhD, Principal investigator, University of Thessaly, Department of Physical Education and Sport Science
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07615829
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- UTH_2251_Long term
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 22 May 2026
- Last updated
- 6 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 6 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of a 6-month Dance Exercise Intervention on Physical Performance, Metabolic and Mental Health in Pre- and Post-menopausal Women
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07615829
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- UTH_2251_Long term
- Conditions
- Metabolic Health, Mental Health, Physical Performance
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 40 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of ThessalyUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 30 May 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Nov 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 20 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 29 May 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
In Greece, people of different age groups, including young children to older adults, participate in dance exercise training. Although it is well-known that regular participation in dancing is associated with benefits such as entertainment, socialization and increased physical activity, the long-term effects of dancing on metabolic and mental health as well as physical performance remain largely unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effects of a 6-month dancing exercise intervention on metabolic and mental health and physical performance in premenopausal and postmenopausal women.
Detailed description
Twenty premenopausal and twenty postmenopausal inactive women meeting the inclusion criteria will be randomly assigned to a Control (n=20) or an Experimental group (n=20). The Control group will maintain their habitual physical activity level without participating in any form of exercise training. The Experimental group will participate in two weekly dance exercise training sessions over a 6-month period. Each session will be performed under supervision and include a 10-min warm up (2-3 dances of very slow tempo), a 45-min main dance exercise session (~15 dances of various tempos i.e. slow, moderate and fast tempo) and a 5-min cool-down period (walking and stretching). Heart rate will be continuously monitored during each session by using heart rate monitors while the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) will be recorded at the end of each session. In addition, prior to the second dance exercise session in each week, participants' delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS) and wellness status (through the wellness report) will be evaluated. Prior to (Baseline) and after the intervention period (at 6 months) participants of both groups (Control and Experimental) will undergo resting blood sampling and assessment of their (i) anthropometrics, (ii) body composition, (iii) physical performance, (iv) physical activity level, (v) dietary intake, (vi) quality of life and (vii) mental health.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Control Group | Active comparator | Other: No exercise trainingParticipants in this group will maintain their habitual physical activity level without participating in any form of exercise training |
| Experimental Group | Experimental | Other: Exercise trainingParticipants in this group will participate in two weekly dance exercise training sessions over a 6-month period |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 35 to 70 years
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Free of musculoskeletal injuries
- Free of chronic non-communicable diseases
- Normal menstrual cycle (for premenopausal women)
- No recent childbirth (previous 12 months) (for premenopausal women)
- At least 12 months since the oncet of menopause (for postmenopausal women)
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Pregnancy (for premenopausal women)
- Contraindications to exercise training
- Illness or other medical condition
- Use of medication
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise trainingThis intervention will consist of two weekly dance exercise training sessions over a 6-month period. Each session will be performed under supervision and include a 10-min warm up (2-3 dances of very slow tempo), a 45-min main dance exercise session (~15 dances of various tempos i.e. slow, moderate and fast tempo) and a 5-min cool-down period (walking and stretching) | Other | Experimental Group |
| No exercise trainingIt will include only habitual physical activity level without participating in any form of exercise training | Other | Control Group |
Primary outcome
Change in glucose concentration
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
Fasting glucose concentration will be determined in blood
Change in insulin concentration
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
Fasting insulin concentration will be determined in blood
Change in total cholesterol concentration
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
Total cholesterol concentration will be determined in blood
Change in HDL cholesterol concentration
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
HDL cholesterol concentration will be determined in blood
Change in LDL cholesterol concentration
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
LDL cholesterol concentration will be determined in blood
Change in triglycerides concentration
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
Triglycerides concentration will be determined in blood
Change in serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT/AST) concentration
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
SGOT concentration will be determined in blood
Change in alanine aminotransferase (SGPT/ALT) concentration
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
SGPT concentration will be determined in blood
Change in gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT) concentration
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
γ-GT concentration will be determined in blood
Change in body weight
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
Change in waist circumference
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
Change in hip circumference
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
Change in fat mass
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
Fat mass will be assessed using whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)
Change in body fat percentage (%)
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
Body fat percentage (%) will be assessed using whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)
Change in fat free mass
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
Fat free mass will be assessed using whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)
Change in lean body mass
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
Lean body mass will be assessed using whole-body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)
Change in cardiorespiratory fitness
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
Cardiorespiratory fitness will be assessed using the Ebbeling single stage treadmill test
Change in functional performance
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
Functional performance will be assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery
Change in muscle endurance
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
Muscle endurance will be assessed using the push-up and curl-up testing protocols
Change in resting blood pressure
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
Resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure will be assessed using a sphygmomanometer
Change in quality of life
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
Quality of life will be evaluated using questionnaire
Change in vitality
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
Vitality will be evaluated using questionnaire
Change in anxiety level
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
Anxiety will be evaluated using questionnaire
Change in flourishing
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
Flourishing will be evaluated using questionnaire
3 secondary outcomes
Change in dietary intake
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
Change in daily number of steps
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
Change in daily time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity
Time frame: At baseline and 6 months
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 6 Jul 2026.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Maria Bougiesi, PhD principal investigator
University of Thessaly, Department of Physical Education and Sport Science
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Exercise training and No exercise training in people with Metabolic Health and Mental Health, run by University of Thessaly at 1 site in Greece.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 6 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Greece. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Dimitrios Draganidis, PhD (+30 2431047047, ddraganidis@uth.gr), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in glucose concentration (time frame: At baseline and 6 months). The study lists 24 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 6 Jul 2026.