title: Restorative yoga and metabolic risk factors: the Practicing Restorative Yoga vs. Stretching for the Metabolic Syndrome (PRYSMS) randomized trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Intensive lifestyle change prevents type 2 diabetes but is difficult to sustain. Preliminary evidence suggests that yoga may improve metabolic factors. We tested a restorative yoga intervention vs. active stretching for metabolic outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2009-2012, we conducted a 48-week randomized trial comparing restorative yoga vs. stretching among underactive adults with the metabolic syndrome at the Universities of California, San Francisco and San Diego. We provided lifestyle counseling and a tapering series of 90-min group classes in the 24-week intervention period and 24-week maintenance period. Fasting and 2-h glucose, HbA1c, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, insulin, systolic blood pressure, visceral fat, and quality of life were assessed at baseline, 6- and 12-months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  180 participants were randomized and 135 (75%) completed the trial. At 12 months, fasting glucose decreased more in the yoga group than in the stretching group (-0.35 mmol/L vs. -0.03 mmol/L; p=0.002); there were no other significant differences between groups. At 6 months favorable changes within the yoga group included reductions in fasting glucose, insulin, and HbA1c and an increase in HDL-cholesterol that were not sustained at 1 year except changes in fasting glucose. The stretching group had a significant reduction in triglycerides at 6 months which was not sustained at 1 year but had improved quality of life at both time-points.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Restorative yoga was marginally better than stretching for improving fasting glucose but not other metabolic factors.
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco. Electronic address: alka.kanaya@ucsf.edu.
authors.forename: Alka M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kanaya
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Diego.
authors.forename: Maria Rosario G
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Araneta
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco.
authors.forename: Sarah B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Pawlowsky
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Diego.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barrett-Connor
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grady
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vittinghoff
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schembri
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Diego.
authors.forename: Mary Lou
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Carrion-Petersen
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco.
authors.forename: Traci
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Coggins
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Diego.
authors.forename: Daniah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tanori
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco.
authors.forename: Jean M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Armas
authors.affiliation: Synchrony Applied Health Sciences, Del Mar, CA.
authors.forename: Roger J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Cole
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008019:Life Style; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D052580:Muscle Stretching Exercises; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D015013:Yoga
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides
keywords: Diabetes; Prevention; Randomized clinical trial; Weight management