Woman doing yoga on rocks with a view of the sea

Study on the support of yoga for weight loss

Jessica L Unick et al.

April 2023

Overweight / obesity

The study examined the effects of yoga on dietary errors and related triggers in women with overweight/obesity who were undergoing weight loss treatment.

Participants were randomly assigned to a 12-week yoga intervention or a same-contact control group.

Smartphone surveys were used to assess misbehaviors and triggers over a 10-day period at baseline, after 12 weeks and after 24 weeks.

The results showed that the yoga group had fewer missteps, such as eating beyond satiety and difficulty stopping eating, compared to the control group at 24 weeks. In addition , the yoga group ate less frequently in response to stress or to feel better and reported lower levels of stress and anxiety and a more positive emotional state.

The results suggest that yoga may help women with overweight/obesity to lose weight, reduce binge eating and improve their emotional state following treatment, indicating its potential as a component of weight loss interventions.

The most important information on the study at a glance

Indications: Obesity
Institution: Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center, The Miriam Hospital, Providence Rhode Island, USA
Title: Study on the support of yoga for weight loss
Brief description: One study showed that a 12-week yoga intervention reduced eating disorders, stress and anxiety in women who were overweight.
Original title: A randomized trial examining the effect of yoga on dietary lapses and lapse triggers following behavioral weight loss treatment
Link to the study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37810521/