Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy of summer band corps participation by young people; participation in this program may potentially enrich lives in numerous ways. Thousands of young people, who may not participate in athletics, are physically active via participation in marching band. For the current study, students participating in a traveling drum corps for the summer were assessed for anthropometric changes over the course of an immersive 11-week season. A quasi-experimental, one-group pretest-posttest design was followed. Height, weight, skinfold tests, and waist-to-hip ratios were all measured before and after the season. This pilot study examined weight and body composition variables in a single group at the beginning and end of an 11-week drum and bugle corps season. Results indicated positive body weight changes, with the obese participants realizing the greatest improvements. The positive changes in multiple anthropometric variables indicate that summer band corps participation was a beneficial. Marching band programs may offer fertile ground for future health promotion messaging regarding physical activity, nutrition and disease prevention.