title: Prevalence of type 2 diabetes among Yoga practitioners: A pilot cross-sectional study in two districts in India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diabetes is one of the major health diseases in the world today. The efficacy of Yoga in the management of type 2 diabetes is well-established. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of type 2 diabetes among Yoga practitioners in two districts of India (one each in West and South of India).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional field study, 155 Yoga practitioners from Pune and 192 from Ernakulam districts were assessed using the diabetes risk test and fasting blood sugar. The data collected were entered in a statistics software package and analyzed using the Pearson's correlation analysis, t-test, univariate ANOVA, and linear regression to understand the predictors of risk for diabetes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of diabetes among Yoga practitioners in Central Pune was 3.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: [0.01-0.04]). 18.9% of participants (95% CI: [0.16-0.19]) were diagnosed to be "at risk" for diabetes. In Ernakulam, the overall prevalence of diabetes among practitioners was 26% (95% CI: [0.05-0.06]) with 12% of practitioners (95% CI: [0.05-0.06]) diagnosed to be "at risk" for diabetes (prediabetic). Higher age and lesser duration of Yoga practice were significant predictors of diabetes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is essential for every person above the age of 40 to undergo regular health check-ups and screening for diabetes and involve oneself in lifestyle modification programs such as Yoga for significantly long duration of time on a daily basis, to better manage diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Division of Yoga and Life Sciences, Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samasthana, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Aarti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jagannathan
authors.affiliation: Division of Yoga and Life Sciences, Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samasthana, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: V V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Narayanan
authors.affiliation: Division of Yoga and Life Sciences, Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samasthana, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Isha
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
authors.affiliation: Division of Yoga and Life Sciences, Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samasthana, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Sonali P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Jogdand
authors.affiliation: Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samasthana, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Subramanya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pailoor
authors.affiliation: Division of Yoga and Life Sciences, Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samasthana, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nagarathna
keywords: Prevalence; Yoga practitioners; type 2 diabetes