Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 27, 2026
05:06
Author Spotlight: Integrating Tai Chi with Mindfulness Training to Achieve an Effective Mind-Body Exercise
Published on: July 14, 2023
2.6K
A yoga intervention for type 2 diabetes risk reduction: a pilot randomized controlled trial
Kelly A McDermott1, Mohan Raghavendra Rao, Raghuram Nagarathna
1Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, University of California, 1545 Divisadero St,, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA. mcdermottk@ocim.ucsf.edu.
BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine
|July 2, 2014
Summary
Yoga intervention in India significantly reduced weight and waist circumference in individuals at high risk for type 2 diabetes. This study highlights yoga as a feasible lifestyle approach for managing diabetes risk factors.
Area of Science:
- Lifestyle interventions
- Preventive medicine
- Complementary and alternative medicine
Background:
- Type 2 diabetes poses a significant public health challenge globally, particularly in India.
- Yoga, a culturally familiar practice, presents a potential strategy for type 2 diabetes prevention in India.
- This study investigated the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of yoga for individuals at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility of a yoga intervention for diabetes risk reduction in India.
- To collect preliminary data on the efficacy of yoga compared to a walking control group.
- To evaluate the impact of yoga on various metabolic and psychological well-being markers.
Main Methods:
- A parallel, randomized controlled pilot study involving 41 participants with elevated fasting blood glucose in Bangalore, India.
- Participants were randomized to an 8-week yoga intervention (n=21) or a walking control group (n=20).
- Primary outcomes included changes in BMI, waist circumference, blood glucose, insulin resistance, blood pressure, cholesterol, and psychological well-being measures.
Main Results:
- The yoga intervention was feasible regarding recruitment, retention, and adherence.
- Yoga participants showed significantly greater reductions in weight, waist circumference, and BMI compared to the control group.
- No significant differences were observed between groups in fasting blood glucose, postprandial blood glucose, or insulin resistance, although both groups showed improvements in blood pressure and cholesterol.
Conclusions:
- An 8-week yoga intervention is feasible for Indians with elevated fasting blood glucose and leads to greater weight loss and reduced waist circumference compared to a walking control.
- Yoga demonstrates promise as a lifestyle intervention for mitigating weight-related type 2 diabetes risk factors.
- The intervention may also contribute to improved psychological well-being, warranting further investigation.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:22Diabetes Mellitus: Type 2 and Gestational
4.9K
Type 2 diabetes, characterized by insulin resistance, arises when the insulin receptors on cells lose responsiveness to insulin, diminishing the cell's capacity to take up glucose, resulting in elevated blood glucose levels. To receive a diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes, a series of blood glucose tests are necessary to assess whether the blood glucose falls within normal parameters. If the result is out of the normal range, a patient may be diagnosed as prediabetic or diabetic, depending on the...
4.9K
01:26Type II Diabetes I: Introduction
13
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance, in which target tissues such as the liver, muscle, and adipose tissue respond poorly to insulin. It is also associated with inadequate compensatory insulin secretion, where pancreatic β-cells fail to produce sufficient insulin. Together, these abnormalities lead to persistent hyperglycemia.EtiologyT2DM develops through a complex interaction of genetic predisposition and environmental or...
13
01:24Type II Diabetes II: Pathophysiology
23
PathophysiologyType 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM ) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance and progressive pancreatic β-cell dysfunction, leading to impaired glucose homeostasis. It results from interactions among genetic predisposition, environmental factors, and metabolic stressors, such as overnutrition and a sedentary lifestyle.Insulin Resistance and Glucose DysregulationEarly T2DM involves insulin resistance in skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, and the liver.
23
01:36Carbohydrate Metabolism
10.4K
Carbohydrates are polymers composed of molecules containing atoms of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. One gram of carbohydrate can provide four kilo-calories of energy, which makes it the most efficient instant energy source.
Starch accounts for approximately 60% of the carbohydrates consumed by humans. Since amylase enzymes cannot function in the stomach's acidic environment, starch can only be digested in the mouth and small intestine. Simple sugars are found naturally in milk and fruits in...
Starch accounts for approximately 60% of the carbohydrates consumed by humans. Since amylase enzymes cannot function in the stomach's acidic environment, starch can only be digested in the mouth and small intestine. Simple sugars are found naturally in milk and fruits in...
10.4K
01:26Type I Diabetes II: Pathophysiology
59
Type 1 diabetes mellitus arises from an immune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β-cells, resulting in an absolute deficiency of insulin. This process develops in genetically susceptible individuals when autoimmunity, environmental exposures, and immunologic dysregulation converge to trigger a targeted attack on the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. The β-cells are located within the islets of Langerhans and are essential for regulating blood glucose by facilitating cellular...
59
01:25Type II Diabetes Mellitus III: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnosis
14
Type 2 diabetes mellitus develops gradually and is often asymptomatic in early stages.Clinical ManifestationsWhen symptoms appear, they include fatigue, blurred vision, pruritus, delayed wound healing, and recurrent infections, particularly candidal infections. Peripheral neuropathy may present as numbness or tingling in the extremities. Classic hyperglycemia symptoms—polyuria, polydipsia, and polyphagia—are less common. Most patients are overweight and frequently have associated...
14