Yoga as a therapeutic intervention for body image in the pediatric population: a systematic review

Body image concerns significantly impact adolescents' mental health and self-esteem, with increasing prevalence observed globally. This systematic review evaluates the impact of yoga interventions in promoting positive body image among children and adolescents. Following PRISMA guidelines, six electronic databases were searched up to August 6, 2024, yielding six studies that met the inclusion criteria. Eligible studies were peer-reviewed, published in English, included quantitative data, and enrolled pediatric participants with a mean age under 18 years. Studies were included if they examined yoga as a stand-alone intervention with or without a comparison group and reported body image outcomes such as body satisfaction, body dissatisfaction, embodiment, body appreciation, or appearance concerns. The included studies varied in design, duration, and participant characteristics, with interventions ranging from 4 to 24 weeks and involving participants aged 8 to 21 years. Methodological quality was assessed using the GRADE criteria, evaluating risk of bias across dimensions such as allocation concealment, blinding, sample size, and reporting clarity. Due to heterogeneity in outcome measures and study design, meta-analysis was not feasible, and a structured narrative synthesis was conducted instead. Results indicate that yoga may improve body esteem and body satisfaction, particularly among adolescents with disordered eating. However, findings were mixed for other outcomes including shape concern, weight concern, body surveillance, and body appreciation. Methodological limitations, including small sample sizes, variability in study quality, and lack of diversity in study populations, were common. The review highlights the potential of yoga as a supplementary approach to enhance body image but underscores the need for high-quality, diverse, and inclusive research to confirm its impact across different populations.