A nursing professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas wants to know if Filipino Americans can reduce their risk of heart disease through dance, according to the Las Vegas Review Journal.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among Filipinos, the largest group among Asian Americans in Nevada.
A 2011 study of 300 Filipinos in the Las Vegas area found half suffered from hypertension, a leading risk indicator of heart disease.
A lack of exercise among Filipinos may be contributing to the problem
That’s why Alona Angosta, professor at UNLV, recruited 41 Filipino couples to take part in two hours of ballroom dancing a week for 12 weeks. Only a handful dropped out. Those that remained said they would continue dancing even after the class ended.
Angosta hopes the enjoyment of dancing can be used to encourage Filipinos to exercise.
Next she will study the Filipino diet and determine how those in the community can be motivated to change their diet.
The Filipino diet is very rich and saturated fat,” she said. “It’s also rich in sodium.”
You can read about how Angosta plans to encourage others to look at the specific health needs of Filipinos in the Las Vegas Review Journal.