PURPOSE: To determine the efficacy of community-based, culturally tailored exercise intervention on the moderate and vigorous physical activity and physiologic outcomes of low-income Latino women (Latinas). DESIGN: A randomized trial contrasted safety education to an aerobic dance intervention. SETTING: Interventions were held in a "store-front" exercise site near a community clinic. SUBJECTS: Sedentary low-income Latinas (N = 151; 18 to 55 years; 70% overweight/obese) were recruited. Retention was 91% for follow-up measures. INTERVENTION: Three sessions per week of supervised aerobic dance were provided for 6 months. Controls attended 18 safety education sessions over 6 months. MEASURES: Physical activity and aerobic fitness (VO2max) were primary outcomes. RESULTS: Participants in the exercise group reported more vigorous exercise (p < 0.001) and walking (p = 0.005) at post-test than controls. Aerobic dance and unsupervised activity resulted in a five-fold greater increase in relative VO2max compared with controls (p < 0.001). Although exercise and fitness decreased at follow-up, vigorous exercise (p = 0.001) and relative VO2max (p < 0.001) remained higher in the exercise group, suggesting maintenance at 1 year. CONDUSION:. Culturally tailored aerobic dance can increase vigorous physical activity, possibly generalizing to walking, and the combination can improve cardiorespiratory fitness in low-income, overweight, sedentary Latinas.

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