title: Impact of Hot Yoga on Arterial Stiffness and Quality of Life in Normal and Overweight/Obese Adults.
abstract: Obesity is associated with arterial stiffening and diminished quality of life. Bikram yoga may be a feasible alternative to traditional exercise among obese individuals. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of Bikram yoga, a heated style of hatha yoga, on arterial stiffness in normal and overweight/obese adults.
  
  
  
  Forty-three (23 normal body mass index or BMI; 20 overweight/obese) apparently healthy participants completed an 8-week Bikram yoga intervention. Body composition was estimated via dual energy x-ray absorptiometry, arterial stiffness was measured via brachialankle pulse wave velocity, and health-related quality of life was assessed via RAND 36-Item Short Form survey at baseline and at the end of the 8-week intervention.
  
  
  
  After the intervention, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity decreased (P < .05) in overweight/obese participants while no such changes were observed in normal BMI participants. In the quality of life measures, emotional well-being improved (P < .05) in both groups, and general health improved (P < .05) only in the normal weight BMI group.
  
  
  
  Bikram yoga ameliorates arterial stiffness in overweight/obese adults and can positively impact quality of life regardless of BMI.
authors.forename: Stacy D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: Mandeep S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Dhindsa
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tarumi
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alkatan
authors.forename: Nantinee
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nualnim
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D001823:Body Composition; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D050177:Overweight / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D063177:Pulse Wave Analysis; D011788:Quality of Life; D059289:Vascular Stiffness; D015013:Yoga; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: body composition; cardiovascular health; exercise physiology; interventions; obesity