The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to investigate the effects of a dance intervention on cardiovascular risk factors and functional capacity of older women, comparing dancing to a walking exercise intervention and to an active control condition (stretching). The participants will include women between 60 and 80 years old, with body mass index inferior to 35 Kg /m2. The main outcome of this study is the peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak). The secondary outcomes are cardiovascular risk associated factors (C-reactive protein, TNF-alpha, lipid profile, etc) and functional performance (muscle strength and power, balance, gate ability, etc). The experimental design will include 3 parts: 1) Pre-intervention assessments: medical evaluation, fasting blood exams, maximum exercise test, assessments of body composition, balance, gate ability, muscular strength and power. 2) Period of interventions: patients will be randomized to one of the three following groups: dance, walking or stretching. The duration of the interventions will be 8 weeks, including 3 sessions per week for dance and walking, and once a week for the stretching group. Each session will last 60 min. 3) Post-intervention assessments: the same protocols of testing as pre-intervention.

The aging process is characterized by reductions of lean mass simultaneously to increases in visceral adipose tissue. Metabolically, this is related to insulin resistance and higher risk to develop cardiovascular diseases. Functionally, loss of strength and cardiorespiratory fitness may lead to early muscle fatigue onset, which may limit the performance of daily activities, and eventually lead to loss of independence with aging. Dancing has been used as a form of exercise to improve functional and metabolic outcomes during aging. However, the field lacks of randomized controlled trials (RCT) evaluating metabolic outcomes related to dance interventions, as well as comparisons of dancing with other types of exercise on functional performance and metabolic health of older adults. Therefore, the goal of this randomized controlled trial is to investigate the effects of a dance intervention on cardiovascular risk factors and functional capacity of older women, comparing dancing to a walking exercise intervention and to an active control condition (stretching). Additionally, we aim to investigate the acute cardiorespiratory responses of a dance session. The participants will include women between 60 and 80 years old, with body mass index inferior to 35 Kg /m2 and independent for performing daily activities. They should not be engaged in any type of regular physical activity in the past 6 months. Exclusion criteria will include type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular complications and neurodegenerative diseases. The main outcome of this study is the peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak), as it has been associated with both, cardiovascular risk and functional performance in aging individuals. The secondary outcomes are: (1) cardiovascular risk associated factors: C-reactive protein, TNF-alpha, triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, fasting glucose and insulin, and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). (2) Functional performance: muscle strength and power, balance, gate ability and muscle quality. The experimental design will include 3 parts: 1) Pre-intervention assessments: medical evaluation, fasting blood exams, maximum exercise test, assessments of body composition, balance, gate ability, muscular strength and power. 2) Period of interventions: patients will be randomized in blocks (randomization.com), in accordance to their VO2peak , to one of the three following groups: dance, walking or control. The duration of the dance and walking interventions will be 8 weeks, including 3 sessions per week, each lasting 60 min. Dance classes will be performed in group in a dance studio, including a variety of rhythms such as salsa, jazz and aerobics. Walking sessions will be performed individually or in groups of two people, in a treadmill, at the gym. The control group will have 60min stretching classes once a week, also for 8 weeks. 3) Post-intervention assessments: the same protocols of testing of the pre-interventions assessments will be repeated. All the assessments and interventions will be held at the Laboratory of Research in Exercise (LAPEX-UFRGS).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Women between 60 and 80 years old
• BMI inferior to 35 kg/m2
• Independent for performing daily activities (OARS scale)
• Not engaged in any type of regular exercise programme for the past 6 months

Exclusion Criteria:

• Type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular diseases or other non-controlled metabolic disorders
• Chronic diseases such as fibromyalgia, cancer or neurodegenerative disorders
• Bone, joints or muscle problems that could impair exercise performance
• Not being able to perform the effort test in the first assessment session, abnormal electrocardiogram, or any other condition identified by the physician of the study that limit the engagement in an exercise training programme.