THANDAV Program Improves Health Outcomes in Indian Adolescent Girls
Chennai, April 28th, 2025 – A new study has revealed the remarkable benefits of THANDAV, a 10-minute dance workout based on High-Intensity Interval Trainin g (HIIT), in improving the health and life style habits of adolescent girls in India.
The program, which is culturally tailore d to Indian adolescents, has shown signi ficant improvements in physical activity levels, heart health, and overall well-bei ng.
Key Findings from the THANDAV Study:
· +1073 steps/day and +29.5 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
· +0.9 kg muscle mass, −0.7 kg body weig ht, and −2.0% body fat.
· −4 mm Hg reduction in blood pressure and −3 bpm resting heart rate.
· +46.4 minutes of sleep and −199.7 min utes of sedentary time.
· Lower stress levels and reduced junk fo od intake.
· High engagement, with participants fi nding the program fun and culturally rel evant.
Dr. R.M. Anjana, Managing Director of D r. Mohan’s Diabetes Specialties Centre a nd President of Madras Diabetes Resear ch Foundation said, “The results of this s tudy demonstrate that even short burst s of exercise, like THANDAV, can have a profound impact on the health of adoles scent girls. With rising concerns about c hildhood obesity and diabetes in India, t his program offers a promising solution to combat these growing health challen ges.”
Dr. Ranjani Harish, Senior Scientist at th e Madras Diabetes Research Foundatio n added, “What makes THANDAV partic ularly exciting is its cultural relevance a nd time- efficiency. The program is fun a nd easy to incorporate into daily life, ma king it not only effective but also enjoya ble for the participants. The feedback fr om the girls has been overwhelmingly p ositive, with many expressing eagerness to continue the program long after the s tudy ended.”
The study was conducted across two sc hools in Chennai, with 108 girls aged 13 3–15 years. One school participated in t he THANDAV intervention, while the ot her served as a control. Over a 12-week period, the girls in the THANDAV group experienced remarkable changes, includ ing an increase in daily steps by 1073 st eps, a reduction in body fat by 2%, and i mproved muscle mass. Additionally, par ticipants reported significant reductions in both systolic and diastolic blood pres sure, along with a drop- in resting heart rate by 3 bpm.
The program’s success in improving ph ysical health is complemented by its abi lity to promote positive behavioural cha nges. Participants in the THANDAV gro up showed reductions in sedentary time and junk food consumption, while also r eporting increased sleep duration. Thes e changes are particularly important, as adolescent girls in India face significant barriers to physical activity due to social and environmental factors.
The THANDAV intervention combines p opular music with structured dance rout utines, making it an appealing and acces essible option for adolescent girls. The p rogram’s hybrid model, which includes b oth in-person and online sessions, has pr oven to be highly effective in engaging p articipants and providing flexibility for busy adolescents.
This study’s findings underscore the imp ortance of incorporating physical activit iy into the daily routines of adolescents, especially in combating the rising incide nce of noncommunicable diseases (NCD Ds) such as diabetes and heart disease. B y providing a culturally relevant and ti me-efficient way to stay active, THAND AV offers a sustainable solution to impr ove the health of young people in India.
The program, which has already benefit ed over 10,000 women and girls since its launch in October 2023, has the potent ial to be scaled widely across schools an d communities. Dr. Anjana concludes, “With the growing health crisis among I ndia’s youth, THANDAV stands as a bea con of hope, showing how innovative, fu n, and culturally tailored interventions c an make a real difference in public healt th.”
About Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Specialities Centres: Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Specialit ies Centre is a one-of-a-kind diabetes sp eciality chain founded in the year 1991 headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It is India’s leading diabetes care provid er offering comprehensive services for d iabetes patients. Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes S pecialties Centres has 50 Diabetes centr es and clinics in India and over 8 lakh pat ients with diabetes have been registere d at these centres and more than 5.5 mil lion consultations have been completed till date. The Gopalapuram (Chennai) ce ntre is the flagship hospital. The centre s pecializes in Total Diabetes Care, Diabet es Eye Care, Diabetes Foot Care service s, Diabetes Cardiac Care, Diabetes Dent al Care, Preventive Care, Diet counselin g and Precision Diabetes care. Appointments can be booked by calling 8939110000 or visit: www.drmohans.com.
