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Cathy Wong
Alternative Medicine Blog

By Cathy Wong, About.com Guide to Alternative Medicine

Yoga May Promote Healthier Eating

Friday September 4, 2009

New research shows that people who practice yoga may be more likely to eat mindfully, which could in turn help them maintain a healthy weight.

Hallmarks of mindful eating include focusing intently on a meal, taking time to fully taste each bite of food, and eating only when hungry. People who eat mindlessly, on the other hand, tend to multitask during meals, finish their food quickly, and eat in response to stress or other emotional issues.

For the study, more than 300 people filled out a survey that included 28 questions on their eating habits. Survey results showed that those who practiced yoga were more likely to eat mindfully. Moreover, those who ate mindfully weighed less than those who ate mindlessly. The study's authors suggest that adding a yoga practice to a weight-loss program may result in greater weight-loss success.

A previous study from the same research team found that people who practiced yoga gained less weight over a 10-year period than those who didn't practice yoga.

Comments

September 7, 2009 at 8:54 am
(1) James says:

Fantastic information. My experience is now reinforced by the information seen on this site. Thank you for providing such excellent information.

September 8, 2009 at 12:59 pm
(2) dana heather says:

Good information. Thanks for getting the word out.

September 20, 2009 at 10:45 am
(3) Yogatic! says:

This is interesting but not really conclusive – the sample size is tiny and there seems to be a flaw in the analysis (from the brief abstract) – just because there is a statistical trend does not imply cause and effect.

Saying Yoga May Promote Healthier Eating is a bit misleading – is it not more realistic to think that those who are predisposed to yoga may also be predisposed to healthier eating?

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