Drum corps project shows health benefits for teens
A new study of adolescents by researchers from Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo is demonstrating the health benefits of participating in musical sport. The research initiative is in partnership with Kitchener's Dutch Boy Drum & Bugle Corps. The project is the first Canadian study to research the health effects of drum corps involvement.
"The preliminary results are very impressive", said Paula Fletcher, a kinesiology professor at Laurier and the study's principal investigator. "The kids in Dutch Boy have shown significant improvements in several areas, including noticeable reductions in body fat."
The study began this past June, as Dutch Boy prepared for a six-week tour of 12 North American cities. Before the tour left, four Laurier undergraduate students gathered data from the participants on body composition, fitness, cardio-respiratory function, psychosocial well-being and subjective health. The participants were tested again shortly after their performance at Centennial Stadium in Kitchener on August 2.
The preliminary results indicate an average reduction of about five pounds in weight, as well as lower heart rates with exertion and better fitness levels. "The knowledge that we gained from this study will help us to continue improving our program to make drum corps an all around positive experience for kids", says Deb Schertzer, the Dutch Boy interim director.
"In light of the high rate of obesity and low fitness levels of Canadian youth, drum corps might be an interesting alternative to increasing physical activity among kids who are not attracted to conventional sports", said John Hirdes, a UW professor in the department of health studies and gerontology and a member of the research team. (Text: www.wlu.ca)
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