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Reduction in Emotional and Uncontrolled Eating Scores with Yoga Compared to Stretching: A Randomized Trial
Amy Lee Richards1, Roger Johnson2
1PhD, RDN, Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, University of Tennessee at Martin; Associate Professor and Director, Didactic Program in Dietetics.
Background:
Lowering stress through yoga may help individuals make better food choices and manage their weight.
Primary Study Objective:
To compare the effectiveness of yoga versus stretching for reducing stress levels, improving eating behaviors, and enhancing weight loss.
Methods/Design:
Randomized controlled 3-month trial with an additional 3-month follow-up.
Setting:
Midwestern United States.
Participants:
One hundred and sixty-two participants (146 females, mean age 43.7 years, BMI 34.0 kg/m2).
Intervention:
Participants were randomized to either yoga or stretching (control) intervention and asked to complete exercises 3 times a week for 3 months.
Primary Outcome Measures:
Perceived Stress Scale and Three Factor Eating Questionnaire Revised were completed, and weight was measured at baseline, 3, and 6 months.
Results:
Perceived stress decreased significantly in both groups at 3 months, and in just the yoga group at 6 months. There were no group differences at 6 months (-2.8 ± 6.6 yoga vs. -3.0 ± 6.4 control, P = .53). Emotional eating (EE) and uncontrolled eating (UE) were lower in the intervention group at 6 months (-16.0 ± 16.7 yoga vs. -3.3 ± 23.9 control, P = .04 and -11.8 ± 11.9 yoga vs. -3.6 ± 9.9 control, P = .01), with no difference at 3 months. Both EE (P = .026) and UE scores (P = .006) were lower for subjects who completed the program through 6 months. Changes in EE and UE were correlated with changes in perceived stress (r = 0.37, P < .01, df = 64 and r = 0.57, P < .001, df = 64, respectively) and cognitive restraint was negatively correlated with changes in perceived stress (r = -0.32, P < .01, df = 64) at 3 months.
Conclusion:
Yoga may improve indicators of emotional eating and uncontrolled eating, which were correlated with a decrease in levels of perceived stress.
Keywords:
Eating behaviors; Obesity; Weight loss; Yoga, Stress.
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