Effect of Yogic Practices Combined with Mindfulness Meditation on Body Mass Index, Lipid Profile, and Quality of Life among Middle-Aged Obese Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Manjula Rathinam, Eswari Varadharajan, Robert Çitozi, Jagadeeswari Suresh, Purshottam Dhavale, Ibnu Noufal Kambitta Valappil, Karuppasamy Govindasamy, Farjana Akter Boby, Vlad Adrian Geantă
Universal Journal of Public Health September 1, 2025 DOI: 10.13189/ujph.2025.130512 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 60 |
| Population | Middle-aged obese women (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) |
| Interventions | Yogic practices Mindfulness meditation |
| Dose | 45 min/day, 5 days/week (yogic practices); 15 min/day, 5 days/week (mindfulness meditation) |
| Duration | 12-week intervention |
| Measures | WHOQOL-BREF |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | The intervention group showed significant improvements in BMI (↓8.4%), total cholesterol (↓10.5%), LDL (↓13.9%), triglycerides (↓9.6%), HDL (↑10.4%), and quality of life compared to the control group, which showed no significant improvements. |
Abstract
Background: Obesity increases the risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, reducing quality of life. While diet and medication help, non-pharmacological approaches like yoga and mindfulness show promise. However, evidence on their combined effects on BMI, lipid profile, and QoL in obese women remains limited.
Methods: This RCT included 60 middle-aged obese women (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2), randomly assigned to an intervention group (Group A, n = 30) or a control group (Group B, n = 30). Group A followed a 12-week supervised program with yogic practices (45 min/day, 5 days/week) and mindfulness meditation (15 min/day, 5 days/week), while Group B maintained their usual lifestyle. Primary outcomes included BMI and lipid profile (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides), with QoL assessed via the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. Measurements were taken at baseline and after 12 weeks.
Results: After 12 weeks, Group A exhibited a significant reduction in BMI (↓8.4%, p = 0.002) and improvements in lipid parameters, including total cholesterol (↓10.5%, p = 0.009), LDL (↓13.9%, p = 0.004), triglycerides (↓9.6%, p = 0.023), and an increase in HDL (↑10.4%, p = 0.018). Additionally, QoL significantly improved in Group A across physical, psychological, and well-being domains (p < 0.001) compared to the control group. No significant improvements were observed in Group B.
Conclusions: Yogic practices with mindfulness meditation improved BMI, lipid profile, and QoL in middle-aged obese women. These findings support yoga and mindfulness as effective non-pharmacological interventions for obesity. Larger studies with longer follow-ups are recommended to assess the sustainability of these benefits.
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation Healthy employees in a work environment | 2003 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 41 |
| Prevention of relapse/recurrence in major depression by mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2000 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 145 |
| Open hearts build lives: Positive emotions, induced through loving-kindness meditation, build consequential personal resources. Working adults | 2008 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 139 |
| Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation Undergraduate Chinese students | 2007 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 40 |
| Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Depression: Replication and Exploration of Differential Relapse Prevention Effects. Recovered recurrently depressed patients | 2004 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 73 |