The purpose of this study was to gain a holistic understanding of the efficacy of Zumba fitness in a community-recruited cohort of overweight and physically inactive women by evaluating (i) its physiological effects on cardiovascular risk factors and inflammatory biomarkers and (ii) its mental health-enhancing effects on factors of health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Participants were randomly assigned to either engagement in one to two 1 h classes of Zumba fitness weekly (intervention group; n = 10) or maintenance of habitual activity (control group; n = 10). Laboratory assessments were conducted pre- (week 0) and post-intervention (week 8) with anthropometric, physiological, inflammatory and HRQoL data collected. In the intervention group, maximal oxygen uptake significantly increased (p < 0.05; partial eta2 = 0.56) by 3.1 mL/kg/min, per cent body fat significantly decreased (p < 0.05; partial eta2 = 0.42) by -1.2%, and interleukin-6 and white blood cell (WBC) count both significantly decreased (p < 0.01) by -0.4 pg/mL (partial eta2 = 0.96) and -2.1 x 109 cells/L (partial eta2 = 0.87), respectively. Large magnitude enhancements were observed in the HRQoL factors of physical functioning, general health, energy/fatigue and emotional well-being. When interpreted in a community-based physical activity and psychosocial health promotion context, our data suggest that Zumba fitness is indeed an efficacious health-enhancing activity for adults.

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