Protocol for culturally adapted cardiovascular dance intervention in Mapuche women with obesity and cardiometabolic disorders

In rural Indigenous women, physical inactivity is a major modifiable risk factor for cardiometabolic illness and obesity. Thus, the objective was to describe the methodological design required to develop a randomized controlled trial to compare a culturally adapted cardiovascular dance intervention to traditional exercise on physical health, quality of life, and exercise-related psychosocial outcomes in rural Indigenous women with overweight/obesity as key determinants cardiometabolic conditions. Randomized, double-blind, parallel-group clinical trial. Twenty-two adults Mapuche women with overweight or obesity and cardiometabolic disorders from an Indigenous Community in Padre Las Casas, Chile, will be randomly allocated to a control group (n = 11) or a culturally adapted cardiovascular dance intervention group (n = 11). Two groups will receive one-hour supervision three times a week for 12 weeks. The primary goal is cardiorespiratory fitness, whereas secondary outcomes include physical health indices, health-related quality of life, motivation for physical activity, and perceived exercise barriers and advantages. The culturally customized intervention is anticipated to yield increased levels of emotional well-being, perceived self-efficacy, and adherence in comparison to conventional exercise. The incorporation of Mapuche cultural elements, particularly traditional dancing, has the potential to enhance physical health, foster social engagement, reinforce cultural identity, and enhance community engagement. The objective of this trial is to evaluate the potential benefits and viability of culturally tailored physical activity interventions for Indigenous women. This will enhance the effectiveness of health promotion strategies that are context-specific and inclusive, as well as resolve a significant gap in the scientific literature. Clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06903455, identifier NCT06903455