Yoga for treating Obesity

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Mumbai, Dec 30 (UNI) Yoga is more effective in controlling weight and treating obesity than aerobics, according to a recent study.

Obesity is the most common nutritional disorder and causes numerous complications, including Diabetes Mellitus, Coronary Heart Disease and Hypertension among others, the research conducted by Dr T K Bera, Assistant Director of Research at the Kaivalyadhama Yoga Research Institute, Lonavala, stated.

Emotional and psychological disturbances are also associated with obesity as it carries a social stigma.

The fundamental determinant of problems in body weight and body composition is the calorific imbalance. When the intake of calories exceeds their expenditure, the body gains weight.

Fasting and extreme diet restrictions cause substantial loss of water and lean muscles. High resistance exercise programmes may lead to gain in lean weight.

However, intensive exercises regimens have been found ''harmful'' especially for the lesser fit individuals. Also, obese people, if put on these strict exercise regimens are exposed to a risk of orthopaedic injury.

Therefore, the intensity of exercise should be maintained at or below the 65 per cent of maximum heart rate recommended for improvement of cardio-respiratory endurance.

Research has revealed that yoga practices never allow the heart to be ''over-burdened''. Instead, a slow but steady cardio-respiratory endurance can be experienced.

Also, thyroid problems are evident in the obese and yoga is a good means to gently ''massage'' the thyroid gland to reduce such related complications, says Dr Bera.

Yoga practice provides progressive muscular stretching with slow dynamic movements followed by static stretch and leads to greater range of motion, which is beneficial for treating obese patients.

High resistance movements in aerobics, on the other hand, may put the obese to risk of injury of hampering cardio-respiratory systems. As yoga does not consider high resistance in moving body parts, it entails no such risk.

People on aerobics are able to reduce excessive body fat in quick time but if in the long-run the practice is discontinued, the fat level and body weight start increasing.

Whereas, yoga, which is a slow and smooth process, puts low to moderate pressure on cardiovascular system which is useful in treating obesity.

Dr Bera says daily practice of Pranayama alters eating habits of the individual by influencing satiety centre in the hypothalamus, contributing to reduction of body weight.

''Yoga does not only have long term effects but also consistency, which is not the case in aerobics,'' he said.

Dr Bera's research also revealed that obese patients practicing yoga had comparatively reduced anxiety levels than those doing aerobics.

Dr Bera, however, stated a combined approach on the basis of the two regimens may prove better in the treatment of obesity.