title: Associations between yoga/meditation use, body satisfaction, and weight management methods: Results of a national cross-sectional survey of 8009 Australian women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze whether yoga or meditation use is associated with body (dis)satisfaction and weight control methods in Australian women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women ages 34 to 39 y from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health were surveyed regarding body satisfaction, weight control behaviors, and yoga and meditation practice. Associations of body satisfaction and weight control methods with yoga/meditation practice were analyzed using chi-squared tests and multiple logistic regression modelling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 8009 women, 49% were overweight or obese. Sixty-five percent of women with normal body mass index (BMI) and approximately 95% of women with overweight/obesity wanted to lose weight. At least one in four women with normal BMI was dissatisfied with body weight and shape, as were more than two in three women with overweight/obesity. The most common weight control methods included exercising (82.7%), cutting down meal sizes (76.8%), and cutting down sugars or fats (71.9%). Yoga/meditation was practiced frequently by 688 women (8.6%) and occasionally by 1176 women (14.7%). Yoga/meditation users with normal BMI were less likely dissatisfied with body weight and shape. All yoga/meditation users more likely exercised and followed a low glycemic diet or diet books; and women with obesity occasionally using yoga/meditation also more likely used fasting or smoking to lose weight.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Yoga/meditation users with normal BMI appear to be more satisfied with their body weight and shape than non-yoga/meditation users. While women with normal BMI or overweight tend to rely on healthy weight control methods, women with obesity occasional using yoga/meditation may more likely utilize unhealthy weight control methods.
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine (ARCCIM), Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Romy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lauche
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine (ARCCIM), Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sibbritt
authors.affiliation: Chair of Research Methodology and Statistics in Psychology, Department of Psychology and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Health, University of Witten-Herdecke, Witten, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ostermann
authors.affiliation: The Boden Institute, Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Nicholas R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Fuller
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine (ARCCIM), Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: Australian Research Centre in Complementary and Integrative Medicine (ARCCIM), Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Department of Internal and Integrative Medicine, Kliniken Essen-Mitte, Faculty of Medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany. Electronic address: h.cramer@kliniken-essen-mitte.de.
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cramer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia; D001828:Body Image; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D000068959:Body Weight Maintenance; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D019122:Meditation; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000628:therapy; D050177:Overweight / Q000628:therapy; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D015013:Yoga; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Body satisfaction; Diet; Obesity; Overweight; Survey; Weight control; Yoga