Physiological and Functional Health Outcomes of Dance-Based Physical Activity in Midlife Adults

Background Sedentary behavior is strongly associated with increased cardiometabolic risk in adults. Dance-based physical activity represents a potentially engaging form of moderate-to-vigorous exercise; however, its physiological and functional health effects in midlife adults remain insufficiently synthesized. Objective To systematically synthesize evidence on the effects of dance-based physical activity on objectively measured physiological and functional health outcomes in adults aged 30–60 years. Methods This systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and ScienceDirect were searched for studies published between 2020 and 2025. Eligible studies included adults aged 30–60 years, employed quantitative or mixed-methods designs, and reported objectively measured physical health outcomes. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane RoB 2 tool and the Newcastle Ottawa Scale. Due to heterogeneity in intervention characteristics and outcome measures, a narrative synthesis was performed. Results From 1,148 records identified, 31 studies involving 2,432 participants across 16 countries met the inclusion criteria. Dance-based interventions were associated with improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness (VO₂max increases of approximately 7–22%), reductions in systolic blood pressure (3–12 mmHg), favorable changes in body composition (body fat reductions of 1.5–6.4%), gains in muscle strength (5–18%), enhanced flexibility (7–19%), and improved balance outcomes (postural sway reductions of 10–27%). Interventions lasting at least 12 weeks generally demonstrated greater effect magnitudes. Conclusions Dance-based physical activity appears to elicit meaningful physiological and functional health adaptations in midlife adults, supporting its potential role as an alternative exercise modality for cardiometabolic health promotion and disease prevention during midlife.