Reducing psychological distress and obesity through Yoga practice

• Main Authors: S Dhananjai, Sadashiv, Sunita Tiwari, Krishna Dutt, Rajjan Kumar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2013-01-01
• Series: International Journal of Yoga
• Subjects: Anxiety; depression; obesity; yoga practice.
• Online Access: http://www.ijoy.org.in/article.asp?issn=0973-6131;year=2013;volume=6;issue=1;spage=66;epage=70;aulast=Dhananjai

Yoga practice has been effectively prescribed in conjunction with other medical and yogic procedures in the management of severe psychosomatic diseases, including cancer, bronchial asthma, colitis, peptic and ulcer. It improves strength and flexibility, and may help control physiological variables such as blood pressure, lipids, respiration, heart rate, and metabolic rate to improve overall exercise capacity. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of Yogic Practice on anxiety/depression associated with obesity. Patients were recruited from the Department of Physiology, C.S.M. Medical University (erstwhile KGMU), Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. A total of 272 subjects were divided into two groups: 1) group of 205 subjects (with yogic practice) and 2) a control group of 67 subjects (with aerobic exercise). Assessment of anxiety and depression were done by Hamilton Rating Scale.