Weight Management

    Yoga is a powerful practice with growing scientific support.

    These resources help yoga teachers, schools, and advocates understand the latest research and integrate evidence-based insights into their work.

    • Review Papers provide a broad understanding via existing studies of yoga’s impact in this area.
    • Notable Publications highlight key research shaping our understanding of yoga’s role in health, well-being, and society.

    We invite you to share how yoga research informs your teaching and practice. Connect with us on social media (@YogaAlliance).

    Review Papers

    Yoga and the experience of embodiment: a discussion of possible links.
    Piran N, Neumark-Sztainer D.
    Eat Disord. 2020 Jan 10:1-19.
    [ abstract ]

    Disordered eating behaviours and correlates in yoga practitioners: a systematic review.
    Domingues RB, Carmo C.
    Eat Weight Disord. 2019 Apr 23.
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    Effect of Yoga in the Therapy of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review.
    Schumann D, Anheyer D, Lauche R, Dobos G, Langhorst J, Cramer H.
    Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2016 Dec;14(12):1720-1731.
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    A systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of yoga on weight-related outcomes.
    Lauche R, Langhorst J, Lee MS, Dobos G, Cramer H.
    Prev Med. 2016 Jun;87:213-232.
    [ abstract ]

    Yoga, bioenergetics and eating behaviors: A conceptual review.
    Ramos-Jiménez A, Wall-Medrano A, Corona-Hernández RI, Hernández-Torres RP.
    Int J Yoga. 2015 Jul-Dec;8(2):89-95.
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    Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Yoga as Remedial Therapy.
    Kavuri V, Raghuram N, Malamud A, Selvan SR.
    Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015;2015:398156.
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    Obesity-related inflammation & cardiovascular disease: efficacy of a yoga-based lifestyle intervention.
    Sarvottam K, Yadav RK.
    Indian J Med Res. 2014 Jun;139(6):822-34.
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    The effects of yoga on eating disorder symptoms and correlates: a review.
    Klein J, Cook-Cottone C.
    Int J Yoga Therap. 2013;(23):41-50.
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    Narrative review of yoga intervention clinical trials including weight-related outcomes.
    Rioux JG, Ritenbaugh C.
    Altern Ther Health Med. 2013 May-Jun;19(3):32-46.
    [ abstract ]

    A systematic review on physical therapy interventions for patients with binge eating disorder.
    Vancampfort D, Vanderlinden J, De Hert M, Adámkova M, Skjaerven LH, Catalán-Matamoros D, Lundvik-Gyllensten A, Gómez-Conesa A, Ijntema R, Probst M.
    Disabil Rehabil. 2013;35(26):2191-6.
    [ abstract ]

    Notable Publications

    Benefits of yoga in the treatment of eating disorders: Results of a randomized controlled trial.
    Brennan MA, Whelton WJ, Sharpe D.
    Eat Disord. 2020 Mar 17:1-20.
    [ abstract ]

    Examining the effects of mindfulness-based yoga instruction on positive embodiment and affective responses.
    Cox AE, Ullrich-French S, Cook-Cottone C, Tylka TL, Neumark-Sztainer D.
    Eat Disord. 2020 Mar 15:1-18.
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    Yoga Practice in a College Sample: Associated Changes in Eating Disorder, Body Image, and Related Factors Over Time.
    Kramer R, Cuccolo K.
    Eat Disord. 2019 Dec 3:1-19.
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    Effect of yoga combined with aerobic exercise intervention on morphological and blood lipid indicators in female college students.
    Luo J, Zheng B.
    J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2020 Mar;60(3):442-448.
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    Performing different kinds of physical exercise differentially attenuates the genetic effects on obesity measures: Evidence from 18,424 Taiwan Biobank participants.
    Lin WY, Chan CC, Liu YL, Yang AC, Tsai SJ, Kuo PH.
    PLoS Genet. 2019 Aug 1;15(8):e1008277.
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    Exploring changes in mindfulness and body appreciation during yoga participation.
    Cox AE, McMahon AK.
    Body Image. 2019 Jun;29:118-121.
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    The roles of self-compassion, body surveillance, and body appreciation in predicting intrinsic motivation for physical activity: Cross-sectional associations, and prospective changes within a yoga context.
    Cox AE, Ullrich-French S, Tylka TL, McMahon AK.
    Body Image. 2019 Jun;29:110-117.
    [ abstract ]

    Quality of Life in Yoga Experienced and Yoga Naïve Asian Indian Adults with Obesity.
    Telles S, Sharma SK, Singh A, Kala N, Upadhyay V, Arya J, Balkrishna A.
    J Obes. 2019 Apr 30;2019:9895074.
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    One Year of Yoga Training Alters Ghrelin Axis in Centrally Obese Adults With Metabolic Syndrome.
    Yu AP, Ugwu FN, Tam BT, Lee PH, Lai CW, Wong CSC, Lam WW, Sheridan S, Siu PM.
    Front Physiol. 2018 Sep 20;9:1321.
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    Yoga in Women With Abdominal Obesity—a Randomized Controlled Trial.
    Cramer H, Thoms MS, Anheyer D, Lauche R, Dobos G.
    Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2016 Sep 30;113(39):645-652.
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    Mind-Body Practice and Body Weight Status in a Large Population-Based Sample of Adults.
    Camilleri GM, Méjean C, Bellisle F, Hercberg S, Péneau S.
    Am J Prev Med. 2016 Apr;50(4):e101-e109.
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    The Effects of a Hatha Yoga Intervention on Facets of Distress Tolerance.
    Medina J, Hopkins L, Powers M, Baird SO, Smits J.
    Cogn Behav Ther. 2015;44(4):288-300.
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    A comparative controlled trial comparing the effects of yoga and walking for overweight and obese adults.
    Telles S, Sharma SK, Yadav A, Singh N, Balkrishna A.
    Med Sci Monit. 2014 May 31;20:894-904.
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    Yoga practice is associated with attenuated weight gain in healthy, middle-aged men and women.
    Kristal AR, Littman AJ, Benitez D, White E.
    Altern Ther Health Med. 2005 Jul-Aug;11(4):28-33.
    [ abstract ]

    Weight Management