1 1196 100 EXAMINING THE ENERGY COST AND INTENSITY LEVEL OF PRENATAL YOGA. CONTEXT: A POPULAR FORM OF PREGNANCY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY (PA) IS PRENATAL YOGA. HOWEVER, LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE INTENSITY AND ENERGY COST OF THIS PRACTICE. AIMS: TO EXAMINE THE ENERGY COST AND INTENSITY LEVEL OF PRENATAL YOGA. METHODS: PREGNANT WOMEN IN A PRENATAL YOGA CLASS (N = 19) WORE A SENSE WEAR ARMBAND DURING ELEVEN 60 MIN CLASSES EACH, AND SELF-REPORTED DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES, HEIGHT AND WEIGHT, PREPREGNANCY WEIGHT, AND PA BEHAVIORS AND BELIEFS. SENSE WEAR ARMBAND DATA INCLUDED KILOCALORIES, METABOLIC EQUIVALENT (MET) VALUES, AND TIME SPENT IN VARIOUS INTENSITIES. DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS AND FREQUENCIES WERE UTILIZED TO DESCRIBE ENERGY EXPENDITURE AND INTENSITY. RESULTS: ENERGY EXPENDITURE AVERAGED 109 +/- 8 KCALS, AND THE AVERAGE MET VALUE WAS 1.5 +/- 0.02. ON AVERAGE, 93% AND 7% OF CLASSES WERE SEDENTARY AND MODERATE INTENSITY PA, RESPECTIVELY. CONCLUSIONS: TIME SPENT IN A PRENATAL YOGA CLASS WAS CONSIDERED TO BE PRIMARILY A SEDENTARY ACTIVITY. FUTURE RESEARCH SHOULD UTILIZE LARGER SAMPLES, PRACTICE TYPE, AND SKILL LEVEL TO INCREASE GENERALIZABILITY. 2016 2 386 18 BENEFITS AND ADVERSE EFFECTS ASSOCIATED WITH YOGA PRACTICE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY FROM INDIA. OBJECTIVE: BENEFITS AND ADVERSE EFFECTS OF YOGA WERE REPORTED IN SURVEYS FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. THE PRESENT STUDY AIMED TO (I) DETERMINE THE BENEFITS AND ADVERSE EFFECTS OF YOGA IN YOGA EXPERIENCED PERSONS IN INDIA AND (II) CORRELATE THESE EFFECTS OF YOGA WITH FACTORS RELATED TO THE INDIVIDUAL AND THEIR YOGA PRACTICE. DESIGN AND SETTING: THIS CONVENIENCE SAMPLING IN-PERSON SURVEY REPORTS BENEFITS AND ADVERSE EFFECTS OF YOGA IN 3135 YOGA EXPERIENCED PERSONS. RESULTS: THE BENEFITS OF YOGA WERE REPORTED BY 94.5 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS. THE THREE MOST COMMON BENEFITS WERE IMPROVEMENT IN: (I) PHYSICAL FITNESS, (II) MENTAL STATE AND (III) COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS. AN ADVERSE EFFECT OF YOGA WAS REPORTED BY 1.9 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS. THE THREE MOST COMMON ADVERSE EFFECTS REPORTED WERE: (I) SORENESS AND PAIN, (II) MUSCLE INJURIES AND (III) FATIGUE. THE FOLLOWING FACTORS SHOWED A SIGNIFICANT ASSOCIATION (IN ALL CASES P < 0.05 CHI SQUARE TEST; CRAMER'S V > 0.10) WITH REPORTED BENEFITS OF YOGA: (I) EXPERIENCE OF YOGA IN MONTHS, (II) TIME SPENT PRACTICING YOGA IN A WEEK, (III) NUMBER OF YOGA TECHNIQUES PRACTICED, AND (IV) WHETHER AWARENESS WAS MAINTAINED DURING THE YOGA PRACTICE OR NOT. CONCLUSION: BENEFITS OF YOGA PRACTICE TO PHYSICAL HEALTH WERE THE MOST COMMON, WITH SORENESS AND PAIN THE MOST COMMON ADVERSE EFFECT OF YOGA. YOGA PRACTICE RELATED FACTORS INFLUENCE THE BENEFITS OF YOGA. 2021 3 1200 21 EXERCISE AND YOGA DURING PREGNANCY: A SURVEY. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE OF THIS SURVEY WAS TO ASCERTAIN THE OPINIONS, PRACTICES AND KNOWLEDGE ABOUT EXERCISE, INCLUDING YOGA, DURING PREGNANCY; THE SECONDARY OBJECTIVE TO COMPARE THE RESPONSES AMONG WOMEN WITH BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) <30 KG/M(2) VERSUS >/=30 KG/M(2). SURVEY CONSISTED OF 20 MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS ASSESSING DEMOGRAPHICS AND EXERCISE PRACTICES, AND FIVE QUESTIONS TESTING THEIR KNOWLEDGE ABOUT IT DURING PREGNANCY (ACOG COMMITTEE OPINION # 267). OF THE 500 SURVEYS DISTRIBUTED, 84% (422) RESPONSES WERE ANALYZED. WHILE 86% OF WOMEN RESPONDED THAT EXERCISE DURING PREGNANCY IS BENEFICIAL, 83% FELT IT WAS BENEFICIAL TO START PRIOR TO PREGNANCY, AND WALKING WAS CONSIDERED THE MOST BENEFICIAL (62%). THE MAJORITY (64%) OF RESPONDENTS WERE CURRENTLY EXERCISING DURING PREGNANCY AND 51% EXERCISED 2-3 TIMES/WEEK. AMONG THE FIVE QUESTIONS TESTING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT PRENATAL EXERCISE, MAJORITY (RANGE 60 TO 92%) WERE AWARE OF ACOG RECOMMENDATIONS. ABOUT HALF HAD A BMI >/=30. KNOWLEDGE ABOUT BENEFITS OF EXERCISE DURING PREGNANCY DID NOT DIFFER SIGNIFICANTLY BETWEEN OBESE AND NON-OBESE. YOGA WAS TRIED SIGNIFICANTLY MORE AMONG NON-OBESE, 65% BELIEVED IT IS BENEFICIAL, AND 40% HAD ATTEMPTED YOGA BEFORE PREGNANCY. IN OUR POPULATION, THE MAJORITY BELIEVES THAT EXERCISE, INCLUDING YOGA, IS BENEFICIAL AND THEY ARE ACTIVE. 2015 4 1774 23 PRACTICE AND ACCEPTABILITY OF YOGA AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN INDIA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY. THE PRACTICE OF YOGA IS BENEFICIAL DURING PREGNANCY, BUT WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT PROPORTION OF PREGNANT WOMEN IN INDIA PRACTICE YOGA. TO ADDRESS THIS RESEARCH GAP, WE CONDUCTED A STUDY TO ADDRESS FOLLOWING RESEARCH QUESTIONS: (1) WHAT PROPORTION OF PREGNANT WOMEN IN RURAL MAHARASHTRA PRACTICE YOGA? (2) WHICH SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRACTICE OF YOGA AMONG THESE WOMEN? AND (3) WHAT IS THE PERCEIVED ACCEPTABILITY OF INTEGRATING YOGA-BASED INTERVENTION INTO ROUTINE ANTENATAL CARE? A CONSECUTIVE SAMPLE OF PREGNANT WOMEN ATTENDING THE ANTENATAL CLINIC OF A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, WHO COULD FLUENTLY COMMUNICATE IN MARATHI AND WHO DID NOT HAVE ANY SERIOUS PHYSICAL ILLNESS OR COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT, WERE INCLUDED IN THIS CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY. A TOTAL OF 228 SUBJECTS WERE INCLUDED IN OUR STUDY. YOGA WAS PRACTICED BY 38 OF THEM (16.7%, 95% CONFIDENCE INTERVAL 12.1-22.1) DURING THE CURRENT PREGNANCY. OLDER AGE, HIGHER EDUCATION, AND BEING A PROFESSIONAL (TEACHER, HEALTHCARE PROVIDER, OR BANK OFFICIAL) WERE ASSOCIATED WITH PRACTICE OF YOGA. MORE THAN HALF OF THE PARTICIPANTS (53.9%) THOUGHT THAT YOGA SHOULD BE INCLUDED AS PART OF THEIR ANTENATAL CARE; THIS PERCEIVED ACCEPTABILITY OF YOGA WAS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH ANY OF THE SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS EXCEPT FOR THE PARTICIPANTS' OCCUPATION. THIS STUDY PROVIDES INFORMATION ABOUT THE PREVALENCE AND SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRACTICE OF YOGA AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN A RURAL SETTING IN INDIA. IT ALSO EXPLORES THE PERCEIVED ACCEPTABILITY OF YOGA-BASED INTERVENTIONS AMONG THIS GROUP. FINDINGS FROM THIS STUDY CAN INFORM DESIGN OF FUTURE STUDIES TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF YOGA-BASED INTERVENTIONS DURING PREGNANCY. 2021 5 2736 25 YOGA POSES INCREASE SUBJECTIVE ENERGY AND STATE SELF-ESTEEM IN COMPARISON TO 'POWER POSES'. RESEARCH ON BENEFICIAL CONSEQUENCES OF YOGA FOCUSES ON THE EFFECTS OF YOGIC BREATHING AND MEDITATION. LESS IS KNOWN ABOUT THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF PERFORMING YOGA POSTURES. THE PRESENT STUDY INVESTIGATED THE EFFECTS OF YOGA POSES ON SUBJECTIVE SENSE OF ENERGY AND SELF-ESTEEM. THE EFFECTS OF YOGA POSTURES WERE COMPARED TO THE EFFECTS OF 'POWER POSES,' WHICH ARGUABLY INCREASE THE SENSE OF POWER AND SELF-CONFIDENCE DUE TO THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH INTERPERSONAL DOMINANCE (CARNEY ET AL., 2010). THE STUDY TESTED THE NOVEL PREDICTION THAT YOGA POSES, WHICH ARE NOT ASSOCIATED WITH INTERPERSONAL DOMINANCE BUT INCREASE BODILY ENERGY, WOULD INCREASE THE SUBJECTIVE FEELING OF ENERGY AND THEREFORE INCREASE SELF-ESTEEM COMPARED TO 'HIGH POWER' AND 'LOW POWER' POSES. A TWO FACTORIAL, BETWEEN PARTICIPANTS DESIGN WAS EMPLOYED. PARTICIPANTS PERFORMED EITHER TWO STANDING YOGA POSES WITH OPEN FRONT OF THE BODY (N = 19), TWO STANDING YOGA POSES WITH COVERED FRONT OF THE BODY (N = 22), TWO EXPANSIVE, HIGH POWER POSES (N = 21), OR TWO CONSTRICTIVE, LOW POWER POSES (N = 20) FOR 1-MIN EACH. THE RESULTS SHOWED THAT YOGA POSES IN COMPARISON TO 'POWER POSES' INCREASED SELF-ESTEEM. THIS EFFECT WAS MEDIATED BY AN INCREASED SUBJECTIVE SENSE OF ENERGY AND WAS OBSERVED WHEN BASELINE TRAIT SELF-ESTEEM WAS CONTROLLED FOR. THESE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT THE EFFECTS OF PERFORMING OPEN, EXPANSIVE BODY POSTURES MAY BE DRIVEN BY PROCESSES OTHER THAN THE POSES' ASSOCIATION WITH INTERPERSONAL POWER AND DOMINANCE. THIS STUDY DEMONSTRATES THAT POSITIVE EFFECTS OF YOGA PRACTICE CAN OCCUR AFTER PERFORMING YOGA POSES FOR ONLY 2 MIN. 2017 6 1151 29 ENHANCING ACCESSIBILITY OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DURING PREGNANCY: A PILOT STUDY ON WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES WITH INTEGRATING YOGA INTO GROUP PRENATAL CARE. INTRODUCTION: HEALTH GUIDELINES SUGGEST THAT PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN DAILY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, YET RARELY DO THEY MEET THESE GUIDELINES. MEANS TO ENHANCE ACCESSIBILITY OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR PREGNANT WOMEN ARE REQUIRED, AND YOGA HAS BEEN SUGGESTED AS A POSSIBLE METHOD TO ENHANCE WOMEN'S SENSE OF CONFIDENCE AND COMPETENCE WITH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. IN THIS PILOT STUDY, OUR PRIMARY AIM IS TO EVALUATE PREGNANT WOMEN'S PERCEPTIONS ABOUT THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE OF AN INTERVENTION WHICH INTEGRATES A LOW-INTENSITY FORM OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, YOGA, INTO PRENATAL CARE; OUR SECONDARY AIM IS TO EVALUATE CHANGES IN PARTICIPANTS' SELF-EFFICACY FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND TIME SPENT IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OVER TIME. METHODS: HELD IN AN OUTPATIENT OBSTETRICS DEPARTMENT OF AN URBAN HOSPITAL SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES, THIS PILOT STUDY ENROLLED 16 PREGNANT WOMEN TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INTERVENTION THROUGHOUT THEIR PREGNANCY. WE EXPLORED PARTICIPANTS' LIVED EXPERIENCE OF THE INTERVENTION USING QUALITATIVE METHODS (PHENOMENOLOGY). MEANS, VARIANCES, AND COVARIANCES WERE CALCULATED FOR THE 2 MEASURES (SELF-EFFICACY AND TIME SPENT IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY) OVER THE INTERVENTION PERIOD. RESULTS: QUALITATIVE FINDINGS FROM FOCUS GROUPS SUGGEST THAT IT IS ACCEPTABLE FOR PRENATAL YOGA TO BE INTEGRATED INTO GROUP PRENATAL CARE CLASSES AND WOMEN REPORTED INCREASED CONFIDENCE WITH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DURING PREGNANCY. PARTICIPANTS DID NOT CONSIDER THE INTERVENTION TO FIT WITHIN THE TRADITIONAL DEFINITION OF EXERCISE. WOMEN REPORTED INCREASED AMOUNTS OF TIME SPENT IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FROM BASELINE TO THE END OF PREGNANCY, BUT THERE WERE NO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN SELF-EFFICACY OVER TIME. DISCUSSION: THE INTEGRATION OF GENTLE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY INTO THE GROUP PRENATAL CARE MODEL WARRANTS FURTHER ATTENTION FOR POTENTIAL BENEFITS WITH REGARD TO MATERNAL PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELLNESS. 2019 7 1512 20 IS THERE MORE TO YOGA THAN EXERCISE? CONTEXT: YOGA IS INCREASING IN POPULARITY, WITH AN ESTIMATED 15 MILLION PRACTITIONERS IN THE UNITED STATES, YET THERE IS A DEARTH OF EMPIRICAL DATA ADDRESSING THE HOLISTIC BENEFITS OF YOGA. OBJECTIVE: TO COMPARE THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL BENEFITS OF AN EXERCISE-BASED YOGA PRACTICE TO THAT OF A MORE COMPREHENSIVE YOGA PRACTICE (ONE WITH AN ETHICAL/SPIRITUAL COMPONENT). DESIGN: STUDENTS WITH MILD TO MODERATE DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, OR STRESS AND WHO AGREED TO PARTICIPATE WERE ASSIGNED TO ONE OF THREE GROUPS: INTEGRATED YOGA, YOGA AS EXERCISE, CONTROL. PARTICIPANTS: A TOTAL OF 81 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS 18 YEARS AND OLDER AT A UNIVERSITY IN THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES PARTICIPATED IN THE STUDY. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, STRESS, HOPE, AND SALIVARY CORTISOL. RESULTS: OVER TIME, PARTICIPANTS IN BOTH THE INTEGRATED AND EXERCISE YOGA GROUPS EXPERIENCED DECREASED DEPRESSION AND STRESS, AN INCREASED SENSE OF HOPEFULNESS, AND INCREASED FLEXIBILITY COMPARED TO THE CONTROL GROUP. HOWEVER, ONLY THE INTEGRATED YOGA GROUP EXPERIENCED DECREASED ANXIETY-RELATED SYMPTOMS AND DECREASED SALIVARY CORTISOL FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END OF THE STUDY. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA, PRACTICED IN A MORE INTEGRATED FORM, IE, WITH AN ETHICAL AND SPIRITUAL COMPONENT, MAY PROVIDE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OVER YOGA PRACTICED AS AN EXERCISE REGIMEN. 2011 8 586 35 DETERMINANTS OF MAINTAINING A DAILY YOGA PRACTICE: HEALTH LOCUS OF CONTROL AND SELF-DETERMINATION THEORY PERSPECTIVE. BACKGROUND: DESPITE THE GROWING EVIDENCE OF THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF A YOGA PRACTICE, LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO ITS SUSTAINED PRACTICE. AIMS: THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PRESENT STUDY WERE TWOFOLD: (1) TO DESCRIBE THE PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS (AGE, EDUCATION LEVEL, AND MARITAL STATUS) AND YOGA ASANA-RELATED BEHAVIOR OF PARTICIPANTS WHO PRACTICE ASHTANGA AND (2) TO EXAMINE THE HEALTH LOCUS OF CONTROL (HLOC) (AN INDIVIDUAL'S BELIEFS ABOUT THE EXTENT OF CONTROL THAT THEY HAVE OVER THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO THEM) AND SELF-DETERMINATION THEORIES. (PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO BECOME SELF-DETERMINED WHEN THEIR NEEDS FOR COMPETENCE, CONNECTION, AND AUTONOMY ARE FULFILLED IN RELATION TO THE MOTIVATED BEHAVIOR.). METHODS: ASHTANGA YOGA PRACTITIONERS (N = 100, AGE RANGE: 20-62 YEARS) REPORTED PRACTICING YOGA AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK COMPLETED SELF-REPORT QUESTIONNAIRES: DEMOGRAPHICS, ASANA PRACTICE, THE PERCEIVED CHOICE AND AWARENESS OF SELF SCALE, HLOC, THE GENERAL HEALTH QUESTIONNAIRE-12, THE PERCEIVED STRESS SCALE, AND THE STATE-TRAIT ANXIETY INVENTORY. RESULTS: IT WAS OBSERVED THAT PARTICIPANTS PRACTICED YOGA FOR AN AVERAGE 6.43 YEARS, 5 DAYS A WEEK FOR 93 MIN REPRESENTING A SUSTAINED, MOTIVATED HEALTH-RELATED BEHAVIOR. YEARS OF PRACTICE AND PERCENTAGE OF TIME SPENT IN HOME PRACTICE EXPLAIN 9% OF THE VARIANCE IN THE AWARENESS OF SELF, AND 7% IS EXPLAINED BY THE NUMBER OF PRACTICE DAYS A WEEK AND STATE ANXIETY. ASHTANGA YOGA PRACTITIONERS HAVE A HIGH INTERNAL HLOC; THIS IS RELATED TO REDUCED TRAIT ANXIETY AND INCREASED PERCEIVED CHOICE. CONCLUSIONS: THE MYSORE SYSTEM OF YOGA APPEARS TO FACILITATE SUSTAINED HEALTH-RELATED BEHAVIOR; IT IS SUGGESTED THAT HEALTH PROMOTION SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE THE THREE ASPECTS OF SELF-DETERMINATION THEORY: COMPETENCE, AUTONOMY, AND RELATEDNESS, WHILE FOCUSING ON THE INCREASING INTRINSIC MOTIVATION AND INTERNALIZING HLOC. 2020 9 2661 25 YOGA IN AUSTRALIA: RESULTS OF A NATIONAL SURVEY. INTRODUCTION: THE THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS OF YOGA AND MEDITATION ARE WELL DOCUMENTED, YET LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT THE PRACTICE OF YOGA IN AUSTRALIA OR ELSEWHERE, WHETHER AS A PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, A FORM OF THERAPY, A SPIRITUAL PATH OR A LIFESTYLE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: TO INVESTIGATE THE PRACTICE OF YOGA IN AUSTRALIA, A NATIONAL SURVEY OF YOGA PRACTITIONERS WAS CONDUCTED UTILIZING A COMPREHENSIVE WEB-BASED QUESTIONNAIRE. RESPONDENTS WERE SELF-SELECTING TO PARTICIPATE. A TOTAL OF 3,892 RESPONDENTS COMPLETED THE SURVEY. SIXTY OVERSEAS RESPONDENTS AND 1265 YOGA TEACHERS (TO BE REPORTED SEPARATELY) WERE EXCLUDED, LEAVING 2,567 YOGA PRACTITIONER RESPONDENTS. RESULTS: THE TYPICAL YOGA SURVEY RESPONDENT WAS A 41-YEAR-OLD, TERTIARY EDUCATED, EMPLOYED, HEALTH-CONSCIOUS FEMALE (85% WOMEN). ASANA (POSTURES) AND VINYASA (SEQUENCES OF POSTURES) REPRESENTED 61% OF THE TIME SPENT PRACTICING, WITH THE OTHER 39% DEVOTED TO THE GENTLER PRACTICES OF RELAXATION, PRANAYAMA (BREATHING TECHNIQUES), MEDITATION AND INSTRUCTION. RESPONDENTS COMMONLY STARTED PRACTICING YOGA FOR HEALTH AND FITNESS BUT OFTEN CONTINUED PRACTICING FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT. ONE IN FIVE RESPONDENTS PRACTICED YOGA FOR A SPECIFIC HEALTH OR MEDICAL REASON WHICH WAS SEEN TO BE IMPROVED BY YOGA PRACTICE. OF THESE, MORE PEOPLE USED YOGA FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT AND ANXIETY THAN BACK, NECK OR SHOULDER PROBLEMS, SUGGESTING THAT MENTAL HEALTH MAY BE THE PRIMARY HEALTH-RELATED MOTIVATION FOR PRACTICING YOGA. HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHOICES WERE SEEN TO BE MORE PREVALENT IN RESPONDENTS WITH MORE YEARS OF PRACTICE. YOGA-RELATED INJURIES OCCURRING UNDER SUPERVISION IN THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS WERE LOW AT 2.4% OF RESPONDENTS. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA PRACTICE WAS SEEN TO ASSIST IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SPECIFIC HEALTH ISSUES AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS. REGULAR YOGA PRACTICE MAY ALSO EXERT A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE EFFECT INCLUDING VEGETARIANISM, NON-SMOKING, REDUCED ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION, INCREASED EXERCISE AND REDUCED STRESS WITH RESULTING COST BENEFITS TO THE COMMUNITY. 2012 10 1796 18 PRENATAL YOGA IN LATE PREGNANCY AND OPTIMISM, POWER, AND WELL-BEING. THE STUDY REPORTED HERE EXPLORED CHANGES IN OPTIMISM, POWER, AND WELL-BEING OVER TIME IN WOMEN WHO PARTICIPATED IN A SIX-WEEK PRENATAL YOGA PROGRAM DURING THEIR SECOND AND THIRD TRIMESTERS OF PREGNANCY. THE STUDY WAS CONCEPTUALIZED FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ROGERS' SCIENCE OF UNITARY HUMAN BEINGS. A CORRELATIONAL, ONE-GROUP, PRE-POST-ASSESSMENT SURVEY DESIGN WITH A CONVENIENCE SAMPLE WAS CONDUCTED. INCREASES IN MEAN SCORES FOR OPTIMISM, POWER, AND WELL-BEING WERE STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT FROM BASELINE TO COMPLETION OF THE PRENATAL YOGA PROGRAM. FINDINGS FROM THIS STUDY SUGGESTED THAT YOGA AS A SELF-CARE PRACTICE THAT NURSES MIGHT RECOMMEND TO PROMOTE WELL-BEING IN PREGNANT WOMEN. 2014 11 2152 23 THE EFFECTS OF SELECTED ASANAS IN IYENGAR YOGA ON FLEXIBILITY: PILOT STUDY. IN RECENT YEARS THE PRACTICE OF YOGA HAS GAINED POPULARITY AS A FORM OF PHYSICAL FITNESS AND EXERCISE, AND HAS BEEN SAID TO IMPROVE STRENGTH AND FLEXIBILITY. THE MAIN OBJECTIVE OF THIS RESEARCH PROJECT WAS TO EVALUATE THE EFFECTS OF A SIX WEEK IYENGAR YOGA INTERVENTION ON FLEXIBILITY. N = 16 LOW TO MODERATELY ACTIVE FEMALES (52.37 +/- 7.79 YEARS) ATTENDED IYENGAR YOGA PRACTICE FOR A TOTAL OF 6 WEEKS, CONSISTING OF ONE 90 MIN SESSION PER WEEK. LUMBAR AND HAMSTRING FLEXIBILITY WERE ASSESSED PRE AND POST-INTERVENTION USING A STANDARD SIT AND REACH TEST. THE RESULTS SHOW A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN FLEXIBILITY, INDICATING 6 WEEKS OF SINGLE SESSION YOGA TRAINING MAY BE EFFECTIVE IN INCREASING ERECTOR SPINAE AND HAMSTRING FLEXIBILITY. THIS IS IMPORTANT WHEN CONSIDERING THAT MUCH OF THE POPULATION FIND IT DIFFICULT TO ATTEND MORE THAN ONE SESSION A WEEK INTO THEIR TRAINING SCHEDULE. 2014 12 342 17 ASHTANGA YOGA FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS FOR WEIGHT MANAGEMENT AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL BEING: AN UNCONTROLLED OPEN PILOT STUDY. OBJECTIVE: THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PILOT STUDY WAS TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF YOGA ON WEIGHT IN YOUTH AT RISK FOR DEVELOPING TYPE 2 DIABETES. SECONDARILY, THE IMPACT OF PARTICIPATION IN YOGA ON SELF-CONCEPT AND PSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS WAS MEASURED. METHODS: A 12-WEEK PROSPECTIVE PILOT ASHTANGA YOGA PROGRAM ENROLLED TWENTY CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS. WEIGHT WAS MEASURED BEFORE AND AFTER THE PROGRAM. ALL PARTICIPANTS COMPLETED SELF-CONCEPT, ANXIETY, AND DEPRESSION INVENTORIES AT THE INITIATION AND COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM. RESULTS: FOURTEEN PREDOMINATELY HISPANIC CHILDREN, AGES 8-15, COMPLETED THE PROGRAM. THE AVERAGE WEIGHT LOSS WAS 2KG. WEIGHT DECREASED FROM 61.2+/-20.2KG TO 59.2+/-19.2KG (P=0.01). FOUR OF FIVE CHILDREN WITH LOW SELF-ESTEEM IMPROVED, ALTHOUGH TWO HAD DECREASES IN SELF-ESTEEM. ANXIETY SYMPTOMS IMPROVED IN THE STUDY. CONCLUSION: ASHTANGA YOGA MAY BE BENEFICIAL AS A WEIGHT LOSS STRATEGY IN A PREDOMINATELY HISPANIC POPULATION. 2009 13 469 24 CHARACTERISTICS OF YOGA AND MEDITATION USERS AMONG OLDER AUSTRALIAN WOMEN - RESULTS FROM THE 45 AND UP STUDY. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: YOGA AND MEDITATION ARE PREDOMINANTLY UTILISED BY HEALTHY WELL-EDUCATED YOUNG WOMEN, BUT LITTLE IS KNOWN ABOUT UTILISATION BY OLDER CHRONICALLY ILL WOMEN. THEREFORE, THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO INVESTIGATE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF YOGA AND MEDITATION USE AMONG MIDDLE-TO-HIGHER AGED AUSTRALIAN WOMEN WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: THIS IS A SUB-STUDY OF THE 45 AND UP STUDY INCLUDING 1925 AUSTRALIAN WOMEN AGED 53-95 YEARS DIAGNOSED WITH CHRONIC CONDITIONS (ASTHMA, DEPRESSION, DIABETES, OSTEOARTHRITIS, AND OSTEOPOROSIS). INFORMATION ON YOGA AND MEDITATION USE FREQUENCIES (CATEGORIES: 'NO YOGA', 'AT LEAST ONCE DAILY', 'AT LEAST ONCE WEEKLY', AND 'AT LEAST ONCE MONTHLY'), SELF-PERCEIVED EFFECTIVENESS AND COMMUNICATION WITH HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WERE ASSESSED VIA SELF-REPORT. LOGISTIC REGRESSION ANALYSES WERE CONDUCTED TO IDENTIFY INDEPENDENT PREDICTORS OF YOGA AND MEDITATION USE, USING SPSS 24.0. RESULTS: OVERALL 6.8% AND 10.7% OF WOMEN REPORTED THE USE OF YOGA AND MEDITATION RESPECTIVELY. MEDITATION WAS RARELY PRACTICED SUPERVISED (11.7%), COMPARED TO SIGNIFICANT HIGHER RATES IN YOGA (53.2%). PREDICTORS FOR YOGA AND MEDITATION USE WERE MARITAL STATUS (MARRIED/IN RELATIONSHIP>NOT MARRIED/IN RELATIONSHIP), HIGHER HEALTH RELATED HARDINESS, AND HIGHER EDUCATION, WHEREAS OBESITY, AND DIABETES DECREASED LIKELIHOOD OF USE. WHILE THE MAJORITY FOUND YOGA AND MEDITATION HELPFUL FOR THEIR CONDITION, THE USE WAS RARELY MONITORED BY OR DISCUSSED WITH HEALTH CARE PRACTITIONERS. CONCLUSION: THIS STUDY FINDS THAT YOGA AND MEDITATION ARE USED BY MIDDLE-TO-HIGHER AGED AUSTRALIAN WOMEN WITH CHRONIC ILLNESSES. THE LACK OF COMMUNICATION WITH HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS IS CONCERNING AND MIGHT HINDER COORDINATED AND EFFECTIVE HEALTH CARE AROUND CHRONIC ILLNESS. FURTHER RESEARCH IS NECESSARY TO HELP UNDERSTAND POSSIBLE CONCURRENT HEALTH CARE USE AND THEREBY HELP INFORM SAFE, EFFECTIVE AND COORDINATE HEALTH SEEKING AMONGST THOSE WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS. 2019 14 472 20 CHARACTERISTICS OF YOGA PROVIDERS AND THEIR SESSIONS AND ATTENDEES IN THE UK: A CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY. YOGA IS AN ANCIENT INDIAN PHILOSOPHY AND WAY OF LIFE THAT IS BEING USED AS A METHOD OF IMPROVING HEALTH AND WELLBEING. EVIDENCE SHOWS THAT YOGA HAS SEVERAL HEALTH BENEFITS, SUCH AS MANAGING MANY NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES, SUCH AS HYPERTENSION, AND IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH. THE POPULARITY OF YOGA IS GROWING IN THE UK, BUT IT IS MOSTLY UNREGULATED WITH LITTLE INFORMATION AVAILABLE ABOUT YOGA PROVIDERS AND THEIR SESSIONS AND ATTENDEES. THIS STUDY AIMED TO EXPLORE WHO IS PROVIDING YOGA; WHAT SESSIONS ARE AVAILABLE, WHERE, AND AT WHAT COST; AND WHO ATTENDS THESE SESSIONS IN THE UK AND WHETHER YOGA PROVIDERS WERE AWARE OF HEALTH CONDITIONS IN THEIR SESSIONS. A CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY WAS UNDERTAKEN AMONG YOGA PROVIDERS IN THE UK. THEY WERE APPROACHED THROUGH FOUR MAJOR UK YOGA ASSOCIATIONS. IN TOTAL, 407 YOGA PROVIDERS PARTICIPATED. MOST PROVIDERS WERE AGED 45-64 YEARS (69%), FEMALE (93%), AND WHITE (93%). THE MEDIAN NUMBER OF GROUP SESSIONS AND ONE-TO-ONE SESSIONS DELIVERED PER WEEK WAS FOUR AND TWO, RESPECTIVELY. THE MOST COMMON STYLES WERE HATHA (28%), IYENGAR (26%), AND VINYASA (15%). SESSIONS HAD A VARYING EMPHASIS ON DIFFERENT YOGIC PRACTICES, BUT 59% OF PROVIDERS ALLOCATED MOST TIME TO YOGIC POSES (ASANA), 18% TO BREATHING PRACTICES (PRANAYAMA), AND 12% TO MEDITATION (DHYANA) AND RELAXATION PRACTICES. MOST (73%) REPORTED THAT THEIR ATTENDEES DISCLOSED THEIR HEALTH CONDITIONS TO THEM, MOST COMMONLY MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES (41%), HYPERTENSION (25%), AND HEART DISEASES (9%). THIS STUDY SHOWED THAT YOGA SESSIONS ARE WIDELY AVAILABLE IN THE UK, OFTEN PROVIDED AND PRACTICED BY WOMEN, AND CONCENTRATE ON YOGIC POSES. SESSIONS CONCENTRATE ON THE ASANA AND TEND NOT TO INCLUDE MANY OF THE MORE HOLISTIC ASPECTS OF YOGA THAT ARE PRACTICED IN SOUTH ASIAN COUNTRIES. YOGA PROVIDERS ARE OFTEN AWARE OF HEALTH CONDITIONS BUT MAY BENEFIT FROM TRAINING TO DELIVER SESSIONS SUITABLE FOR SPECIFIC HEALTH CONDITIONS. 2022 15 2844 22 YOGA, DANCE, TEAM SPORTS, OR INDIVIDUAL SPORTS: DOES THE TYPE OF EXERCISE MATTER? AN ONLINE STUDY INVESTIGATING THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXERCISE, BODY IMAGE, AND WELL-BEING IN REGULAR EXERCISE PRACTITIONERS. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, SPECIFICALLY EXERCISING, HAS BEEN SUGGESTED TO IMPROVE BODY IMAGE, MENTAL HEALTH, AND WELL-BEING. WITH RESPECT TO BODY IMAGE, PREVIOUS FINDINGS HIGHLIGHT A GENERAL BENEFIT OF EXERCISE. THIS STUDY INVESTIGATES WHETHER THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXERCISING AND BODY IMAGE VARIES WITH THE TYPE OF EXERCISE THAT INDIVIDUALS PREFERENTIALLY AND REGULARLY ENGAGE IN. IN ADDITION, PHYSICAL EFFICACY WAS EXPLORED AS A POTENTIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL MEDIATOR BETWEEN TYPE OF EXERCISE AND BODY IMAGE. USING A CROSS-SECTIONAL DESIGN, HEALTHY REGULAR EXERCISE PRACTITIONERS OF YOGA, BALLROOM DANCE, TEAM SPORTS, OR INDIVIDUAL SPORTS AS WELL AS HEALTHY ADULTS REPORTING NO REGULAR EXERCISING WERE SURVEYED. BODY IMAGE AND ITS DIFFERENT FACETS WERE ASSESSED BY A SET OF STANDARDIZED SELF-REPORT QUESTIONNAIRES, COVERING PERCEPTUAL, COGNITIVE, AND AFFECTIVE BODY IMAGE DIMENSIONS PARTICULARLY RELATED TO NEGATIVE BODY IMAGE. IN ADDITION, PARTICIPANTS WERE QUESTIONED WITH REGARD TO MENTAL HEALTH. PARTICIPANTS WERE 270 HEALTHY ADULTS. DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS, MEASURES OF VARIANCE (ANOVA), AND MULTIPLE LINEAR REGRESSION ANALYSIS WITH ORTHOGONAL CONTRASTS WERE PERFORMED TO INVESTIGATE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE DIFFERENT EXERCISE AND NON-EXERCISE GROUPS IN THE VARIABLES OF INTEREST. IN LINE WITH THE HYPOTHESES AND PREVIOUS FINDINGS, THE STATISTIC COMPARISONS REVEALED THAT BODY DISSATISFACTION (AS ONE IMPORTANT FACTOR OF NEGATIVE BODY IMAGE) WAS MOST PRONOUNCED IN THE NON-EXERCISE GROUP COMPARED TO ALL EXERCISE GROUPS [CONTRAST: NO EXERCISE VERSUS EXERCISE (ALL GROUPS TAKEN TOGETHER)]. PHYSICAL EFFICACY, AS ASSESSED WITH A STANDARDIZED QUESTIONNAIRE, MEDIATED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TYPE OF EXERCISE (USING CONTRASTS) AND BODY IMAGE INCLUDING PERCEPTUAL, COGNITIVE, AND AFFECTIVE BODY IMAGE DIMENSIONS. THE FINDINGS SHED LIGHT ON SO FAR LESS SYSTEMATICALLY INVESTIGATED QUESTIONS REGARDING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TYPES OF EXERCISE, LIKE YOGA AND BALLROOM DANCE, AND BODY IMAGE. THE RESULTS UNDERSCORE THE RELEVANCE OF CONSIDERING POSSIBLE INFLUENCING FACTORS IN EXERCISE RESEARCH, SUCH AS THE PERCEPTION OF ONE'S PHYSICAL EFFICACY AS A MEDIATOR OF THIS RELATIONSHIP. 2021 16 2236 17 THE IMPACT OF YOGA UPON YOUNG ADULT CANCER SURVIVORS. THIS STUDY EXPLORED THE USE OF YOGA BY USING A CROSS-SECTIONAL ANALYSIS OF 286 YOUNG ADULT CANCER SURVIVORS. THE AIM WAS TO EXPLORE YOGA PRACTICE, REASONS FOR USING THIS THERAPY; PREDICTORS OF YOGA USE AND ANY POTENTIAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN YOGA USE AND WELL-BEING. NINETY ONE PARTICIPANTS (32.82%) REPORTED PRACTICING YOGA FROM THEIR INITIAL DIAGNOSIS. PRACTITIONERS REPORTED A RELATIVELY HIGH INTENSITY (MEAN: 7.46 H/MONTH) AND LENGTH (25.88 MONTHS) OF PRACTICE. THE MOST COMMON REASONS GIVEN FOR UNDERTAKING YOGA WERE TO MAINTAIN FLEXIBILITY AND PROMOTE RELAXATION. SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC PREDICTORS OF YOGA USE INCLUDED GENDER, HIGHER EDUCATION WITH INCREASED YOGA USE GENERALLY RELATED TO ENHANCED FEELINGS OF WELL-BEING. RESULTS SUGGEST THAT YOGA USE IS MORE COMMONLY USED BY CANCER SURVIVORS WITH GREATER RESOURCES. UNDERSTANDING MORE ABOUT THE USE OF YOGA BY CANCER SURVIVORS MAY FACILITATE THE DEVELOPMENT AND PROMOTION OF YOGA-BASED INTERVENTIONS. 2013 17 616 26 DEVELOPMENT OF SHAM YOGA POSES TO ASSESS THE BENEFITS OF YOGA IN FUTURE RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL STUDIES. BACKGROUND: ALTHOUGH RESEARCH HAS DEMONSTRATED THE BENEFITS OF YOGA TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH DIABETES OR AT RISK OF DIABETES, STUDIES HAVE NOT CONFIRMED THESE EFFECTS CAN BE ASCRIBED TO THE SPECIFIC FEATURES OF THE TRADITIONAL POSTURES, CALLED ASANAS. INSTEAD, THE EFFECTS OF ASANAS COULD BE ASCRIBED TO THE INCREASE IN CARDIOVASCULAR ACTIVITY AND EXPENDITURE OF ENERGY OR TO THE EXPECTATION OF HEALTH BENEFITS. THEREFORE, TO ESTABLISH WHETHER ASANAS ARE BENEFICIAL, RESEARCHERS NEED TO DESIGN A CONTROL CONDITION IN WHICH PARTICIPANTS COMPLETE ACTIVITIES, CALLED SHAM POSES, THAT ARE EQUIVALENT TO TRADITIONAL ASANAS IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND EXPECTATION OF BENEFITS. OBJECTIVES: THE AIM OF THIS RESEARCH WAS TO DESIGN AN APPROPRIATE SUITE OF SHAM POSES AND TO DEMONSTRATE THESE POSES AND TRADITIONAL ASANAS ARE EQUIVALENT IN ENERGY EXPENDITURE, CARDIOVASCULAR RESPONSE, AND EXPECTATIONS OF HEALTH BENEFITS. METHODS: TWENTY HEALTHY MEN AT MEDIUM TO HIGH RISK OF DEVELOPING DIABETES VOLUNTEERED TO PARTAKE IN THE CURRENT STUDY. THESE MEN COMPLETED TWO SESSIONS THAT COMPRISED TRADITIONAL ASANAS AND TWO SESSIONS THAT COMPRISED SHAM POSES-POSES THAT UTILIZE THE SAME MUSCLE GROUPS AS THE ASANAS AND WERE ASSIGNED FICTITIOUS SANSKRIT LABELS. BEFORE AND AFTER EACH SESSION, HEART RATE, BLOOD PRESSURE, BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS, TRIGLYCERIDES LEVELS, AND OXYGEN SATURATION WERE MEASURED TO GAUGE THE INTENSITY OF EXERCISE. AFTER EACH SESSION, USING A STANDARD MEASURE, PARTICIPANTS ALSO INDICATED THE DEGREE TO WHICH THEY EXPECTED THE POSES TO IMPROVE HEALTH. RESULTS: THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE SESSIONS AFFECTED THE PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASURES (FOR EXAMPLE, PRE-EXERCISE, THE HEART RATE FOR YOGA AND SHAM WAS 71.06 +/- 4.79 AND 73.88 +/- 6.05, RESPECTIVELY, AND POST-EXERCISE, THE HEART RATE WAS 70.19 +/- 6.16 AND 73 +/- 7.55, RESPECTIVELY) AND THE EXPECTATIONS OF HEALTH IMPROVEMENTS DID NOT DIFFER BETWEEN THE TRADITIONAL ASANAS AND THE SHAM POSES. LIKEWISE, THE DEGREE TO WHICH EACH SESSION INFLUENCED THESE PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASURES WAS NEGLIGIBLE IN BOTH CONDITIONS. CONCLUSIONS: THIS STUDY DEVELOPED A SERIES OF POSES THAT ELICIT SIMILAR PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT AS TRADITIONAL YOGA ASANAS. THESE POSES CAN BE USED IN AN ACTIVE CONTROL GROUP IN FUTURE RANDOMIZED TRIAL STUDIES THAT ARE DESIGNED TO ASSESS THE BENEFITS OF ASANAS. 2021 18 2240 26 THE INFLUENCE OF A YOGA EXERCISE PROGRAM FOR YOUNG ADULTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. BACKGROUND: INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES (ID) HAVE AN INCREASED RISK OF OBESITY AND ARE SIGNIFICANTLY LESS LIKELY TO ENGAGE IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY COMPARED TO THEIR NONDISABLED PEERS. A GROWING BODY OF RESEARCH SUPPORTS THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF YOGA. WHILE THE BENEFITS OF YOGA HAVE BEEN STUDIED ACROSS A HOST OF POPULATIONS WITH VARYING AGES AND PHYSICAL DISABILITIES, NO STUDIES COULD BE IDENTIFIED INVESTIGATING THE BENEFITS OF YOGA FOR YOUNG ADULTS WITH ID. AIMS: THIS STUDY INVESTIGATED THE IMPACT OF PARTICIPATING IN YOGA CLASSES ON THE AMOUNT OF EXERCISE BEHAVIOR AND PERCEPTION OF PHYSICAL EXERTION WHEN COMPARED TO NON-STRUCTURED EXERCISE SESSIONS BETWEEN TWO YOUNG ADULTS WITH ID IN A POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION SETTING. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A SINGLE SUBJECT MULTIPLE BASELINE RESEARCH DESIGN WAS IMPLEMENTED ACROSS TWO YOUNG ADULTS WITH MILD ID TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF A YOGA EXERCISE CLASS ON FREQUENCY OF EXERCISE BEHAVIOR AND PERCEPTION OF PHYSICAL EXERTION WHEN COMPARED TO NON-STRUCTURED EXERCISE SESSIONS. PARTIAL INTERVAL RECORDING, THE ESTON-PARFITT CURVILINEAR RATING OF PERCEIVED EXERTION SCALE, AND THE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ENJOYMENT SCALE WERE IMPLEMENTED TO COLLECT DATA ON DEPENDENT VARIABLES AND CONSUMER SATISFACTION DURING EACH NON-STRUCTURED EXERCISE SESSION AND EACH YOGA CLASS. RESULTS: INDICATED THAT PERCENTAGE OF EXERCISE BEHAVIOR AND PERCEIVED EXERTION LEVELS DURING YOGA GROUP EXERCISE SHARPLY INCREASED WITH LARGE EFFECT SIZES WHEN COMPARED TO NON-STRUCTURED EXERCISE SESSIONS. 2012 19 1961 32 SELF-REPORTED BENEFITS AND ADVERSE OUTCOMES OF HOT YOGA PARTICIPATION. BACKGROUND: THERE IS LITTLE TO NO SCIENTIFIC DATA ABOUT THE HEALTH BENEFITS OR RISKS TO PARTICIPATING IN HOT YOGA, IN PARTICULAR DISTINGUISHING IT FROM THE PRACTICE OF NON-HOT YOGA. AIMS: THIS STUDY AIMS TO PROVIDE SOME PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE ABOUT THE RISKS AND BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATING IN HOT YOGA. FUTURE STUDIES WILL BE ABLE TO BUILD OFF THE FINDINGS HEREIN. METHODS: THIS STUDY UTILIZED ONLINE SURVEY SOFTWARE (QUALTRICS) AND RECRUITED PARTICIPANTS THROUGH CONVENIENCE SAMPLING (N = 157) BY TARGETING YOGA WEBSITES AND ONLINE FORUMS. AS THERE IS CURRENTLY NO KNOWN QUESTIONNAIRE THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED TO ASSESS THE RISKS AND BENEFITS OF HOT YOGA PARTICIPATION, AN EXPLORATORY MEASURE WAS DESIGNED TO GAIN MORE DETAILED RESPONSES FROM PARTICIPANTS. DESCRIPTIVE EPIDEMIOLOGICAL ANALYSES WE RE CONDUCTED. RESULTS: PARTICIPANTS OF HOT YOGA HAD A NUMBER OF PRE-EXISTING HEALTH CONDITIONS. BOTH BENEFITS AND ADVERSE OUTCOMES WERE REPORTED. THE MOST FREQUENTLY REPORTED HEALTH BENEFITS OF HOT YOGA IN THIS SAMPLE INCLUDED INCREASED FLEXIBILITY (63%), IMPROVED MOOD (58%), INCREASED FITNESS (43%), AND IMPROVED STAMINA (42%). JUST OVER HALF OF THE PARTICIPANTS REPORTED SOME SORT OF ADVERSE EVENT DURING A HOT YOGA SESSION (N = 82). THE MOST COMMONLY REPORTED ADVERSE EVENTS INCLUDED DIZZINESS (60%), FEELING LIGHT HEADED (61%), NAUSEA (35%), AND DEHYDRATION (34%), AMONGST OTHERS. CONCLUSIONS: FURTHER STUDY ON THE RISKS AND BENEFITS OF HOT YOGA PARTICIPATION IS REQUIRED. 2016 20 22 23 "YOGA WAS MY SAVING GRACE": THE EXPERIENCE OF WOMEN WHO PRACTICE PRENATAL YOGA. BACKGROUND: APPROXIMATELY 20% OF WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES PRACTICE PRENATAL YOGA, BUT THERE IS A PAUCITY OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE EXPERIENCE OF THESE WOMEN. OBJECTIVE: THIS STUDY EXAMINES WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES PARTICIPATING IN COMMUNITY-BASED PRENATAL YOGA. METHOD: A QUALITATIVE DESCRIPTIVE EXPLORATORY DESIGN USED FOCUS GROUPS WITH A CONVENIENCE SAMPLE OF PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM WOMEN (N = 14) WHO ENGAGED IN PRENATAL YOGA WITHIN THE PREVIOUS 6 MONTHS. CONTENT ANALYSIS WAS EMPLOYED TO IDENTIFY KEY THEMES AND SUBTHEMES. RESULTS: THREE THEMES AROSE: (A) STRESS AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS COMMONLY INSTIGATE WOMEN'S INTEREST IN PRENATAL YOGA, (B) PRENATAL YOGA IS PERCEIVED TO BE PSYCHOLOGICALLY AND PHYSICALLY BENEFICIAL, AND (C) PRENATAL YOGA IS PERCEIVED AS MORE BENEFICIAL THAN OTHER GROUP CLASSES. CONCLUSIONS: PREGNANT WOMEN WITH STRESS AND DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS MAY BE DRAWN TO PRENATAL YOGA FOR THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSICAL BENEFITS. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND RESEARCHERS FOCUS ON THESE NEEDS, PARTICULARLY WHEN DESIGNING PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION STRATEGIES WITH THIS POPULATION. 2015