The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #43304

Mark Arnett, PhD, college of education, department of physical education, university of arizona, PO box 210096, tucson, AZ 85721 and Robert B Lutz, MD, program in integrative medicine, university of arizona, 1650 e ft. lowell, tucson, AZ 85719, 520-626-5538, marnett@u.arizona.edu.

Providing activities that can reduce the impact of chronic disease in girls during the critical growth period is an important health objective. Schools provide cost-effective opportunities to promote healthy behaviors since approximately 95% of girls are enrolled in schools. Purpose: What effects will dose-dependent rope jumping have on functional capacity of adolescent girls? Methods: Upon study entry, girls were randomly assigned to either one of two treatment groups (high volume; low volume) or a control group. Thirty-seven high school girls were recruited to participate in the study. Outcome measures were made at baseline and at four-month follow-up. Students in the high volume and low volume groups jumped rope for 10 and 5 minutes respectively. Results: The mean percent change in high volume, low volume, and control groups for proximal femoral bone mineral content (BMC) were 5.0%, 3.9%, and 1.9%, and for VO2max were 13%, 4%, and 2% respectively. A significant difference was identified between the high volume and control groups’ BMC (p=.011) and VO2max (p=.043). All groups (high volume, low volume, control) improved muscular strength and percent body fat (muscular strength 12.8%, 11.7%, 5.2% and percent body fat 9.2%, 6.1%, 5.9% respectively). Group differences were not significant, however there was a dose response trend. Conclusion: The findings lack evidence to support a dose response relationship. However, ten minutes of jumping rope at the beginning of a PE class four times per week can increase bone strength, percent body fat, cardiovascular endurance, and muscular strength.

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