Hip-Hop: Dancing Your Way to Better Health

Posted November 20, 2007 at 01:00 PM by Denise Musumeci

Section: In The News, His Fitness, Alt. Therapies, His Health, Mental Health, Physical Health, Lifestyle Health

Hip-hop is considered an important development in the history of music. This is because, for the first time [according to Wikipedia] non-tonal aspects of speech, its emphasis and lyricism, are the most identifiable aspects of vocalizations. Also, syncopation and abstract rhythms are being used in ways never before. With obesity rates climbing, researchers are now looking toward this contemporary movement of dance as the answer to a growing urban obesity problem.

Hip-hop began as an idea during the 1970s, when many Black radio stations switched to playing disco. There was a backlash against disco by many in the African-American community. hip-hop arose during the 1970s, from block parties in New York City. These popular parties were usually accompanied by music, especially funk, disco and soul. In the 1980s, hip-hop became mainstream, and an internationally popular genre during the 1990s and 2000s. Hip-hop is usually divided into three periods: Roots, Old School, and Golden Age. Most agree that the “golden age” ended during the 1990s. The current period is not yet named, though it is commonly referred to as New school hip hop.

These early movements are what have led to rhythm and blues, funk, and the most recent culture of urban (New school) hip-hop. Hip-hop has changed the face of music since the 1980’s, giving those part of the culture a new sense of pride and motivation with hip-hop’s new sound and ultimate dance moves. And in today’s modern culture of obese children - particularly low-income African American children - studies are showing that this type of dance is a very effective way to exercise, tone the body, and keep off the weight.

Obesity is an ever-growing epidemic that is affecting increasing numbers of children every year. Minority women and their children are especially at risk. Healthy People 2010 states that 14% of Black or African American children aged 6-19 years are obese, compared to the 11% of White children.  As for income level, 13% if children aged 6-19 years in the lower income level (