Introduction: Overweight/obesity is a pressing international health concern and conventional treatments demonstrate poor long-term efficacy. Preliminary evidence suggests yoga and Ayurveda may be promising approaches, although recent NHIS estimates indicate rare utilization of Ayurveda in the US. Group-based curricula that integrate yoga and Ayurveda-inspired principles to attenuate overweight and obesity across individuals may prove a feasible, disseminable clinical adjunct to facilitate psychosocial health and weight loss and/or maintenance. Aims: Determine feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a ten-week yoga - based, Ayurveda-inspired weight management curriculum (YWL) piloted in female yoga practitioners (Study 1) then refined and tailored for yoga naïves (Study 2), on self-reported psychosocial process variables and % of self-reported total body weight loss (%TBWL). Methodology: Study 1 enrolled 22 yoga-experienced women (48.2 ± 14.3 years, BMI 30.8 ± 4.2 kg/m2) in a 10-week yoga-based program (YWL-YE). Study 2 enrolled 21 yoga- naïve women (49.4 ± 10.7 years, BMI 35.5 ± 6.8 kg/m2) in a revised 10-week program (YWL-YN). Self-reported weight and self-ratings of mindful eating behavior, body image disturbance, weight loss self-efficacy, body awareness, and self-compassion were collected at baseline, post-treatment (T2), and 3-month follow- up (T3). Results: YWL curricula was feasible in both studies. While attrition rates for both studies favorably compared to other weight management studies, attrition was higher for YWL-YN (28.6%) than YWL-YE (18.2%). In both studies, self-reported process variables and self-reported % TBWL changed in hypothesized directions at T2 and evidenced greater improvement at T3; effect sizes across all process variables were medium (−0.4) to large (−1.8). % TBWL reached clinical significance (>5%) only at T3 for the YWL-YE group. Conclusions: The YWL curricula employed here appear to improve psychosocial health among both overweight/obese yoga-experienced and yoga- naïve women. Results must be interpreted with caution due to study design, self-report assessments, and other limitations. Nonetheless, hypotheses are generated for future investigation.
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Research Article|
January 01 2016
Group-Based Yogic Weight Loss with Ayurveda-Inspired Components: A Pilot Investigation of Female Yoga Practitioners and Novices
Tosca D. Braun, MA;
Tosca D. Braun, MA
1. University of Connecticut, Department of Psychology, Storrs, CT
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Crystal L. Park, PhD;
Crystal L. Park, PhD
1. University of Connecticut, Department of Psychology, Storrs, CT
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Amy A. Gorin, PhD;
Amy A. Gorin, PhD
1. University of Connecticut, Department of Psychology, Storrs, CT
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Jessica J. Noggle, PhD;
Jessica J. Noggle, PhD
2. Emory University, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Atlanta, GA
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Lisa A. Conboy, MA MS ScD
3. Harvard Medical School, Osher Research Center, Department of Biomedicine, Boston, MA
4. New England School of Acupuncture, Newton, MA
Correspondence: lisa_conboy@hms.harvard.edu
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Int J Yoga Therap (2016) 26 (1): 55–72.
Citation
Tosca D. Braun, Crystal L. Park, Amy A. Gorin, Hilary Garivaltis, Jessica J. Noggle, Lisa A. Conboy; Group-Based Yogic Weight Loss with Ayurveda-Inspired Components: A Pilot Investigation of Female Yoga Practitioners and Novices. Int J Yoga Therap 3 January 2016; 26 (1): 55–72. doi: https://doi.org/10.17761/1531-2054-26.1.55
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