Effects of an online yoga program on anthropometric parameters among overweight female students during the COVID-19 pandemic

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak is a public health concern. However, stay-at-home regulations to prevent disease spread increased sedentary behavior with unintended adverse outcomes. Overweight is a major global health issue, and standard treatments have a poor track record of long-term effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to evaluate how online yoga affected participants who were overweight in terms of anthropometric measurements. The study, which was designed as a experimental study, enrolled sixty overweight adolescents. The participants were divided into two groups: a control group (n = 30) and an intervention group (n = 30) who performed an online yoga home exercise program comprising basic yoga practice with 15 poses and minimal rest periods on Monday Wednesday and Friday, from 5.00 to 5.45 pm for 12 weeks. The intensity of the exercise was 65-75 percent of maximum heart rate (MHR). Anthropometric parameters, including body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), body circumference measurements (BCM), and resting heart rate (RHR) were assessed. All parameters were measured at weeks 0, 8, and 12. Within group and between group comparisons were performed. The results revealed improved BW, BMI, BCM, and RHR in the intervention group; the median BW and BMI of the intervention group was significantly decreased at week 12, and the BCM of the intervention group showed a significant decrease in the chest, waist, hip, and thigh. This declining trend started from week 8. This 12-week online yoga program decreased BW, BMI, BCM, and RHR, which indicates that practicing yoga at home is effective on anthropometric parameters and may be an alternative therapy for health promotion and controlling body weight during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, an appropriate and continuous exercise program must be followed.