Effects of Dance Interventions on Physical Function in Healthy Older Adults: A Systematic Review and 3-Level Meta-Analysis

As global population aging accelerates, maintaining physical function in older adults has emerged as a core public health challenge. Dance, a multimodal physical activity integrating cognitive challenges and social interaction, has been proven effective in improving health in older age. However, existing evidence is largely confined to validating efficacy, often plagued by selective outcome reporting, and lacks evidence-based consensus regarding optimal intervention protocols.