1 1791 121 PRENATAL YOGA AND EXCESSIVE GESTATIONAL WEIGHT GAIN: A REVIEW OF EVIDENCE AND POTENTIAL MECHANISMS. PURPOSE: TO REVIEW THE EVIDENCE OF THE POTENTIAL MECHANISMS (BEHAVIORAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL/EMOTIONAL, AND PHYSICAL FACTORS) OF PRENATAL YOGA FOR PREVENTING EXCESSIVE GESTATIONAL WEIGHT GAIN (GWG) IN PREGNANT WOMEN TO GUIDE FUTURE RESEARCH. MAIN BODY: PRENATAL YOGA IS A COMMON FORM OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DURING PREGNANCY AND INCLUDES A COMBINATION OF PHYSICAL POSTURES, BREATH CONTROL AND MEDITATION. THIS REVIEW THEORIZES HOW COMBINING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY (I.E., PRENATAL YOGA POSTURES) WITH THE ADD-ONS BROUGHT BY PRENATAL YOGA (E.G., BREATH CONTROL, MEDITATION), MIGHT PROVIDE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND EFFECTIVE STRATEGY TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE GWG THAN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ALONE. THIS ARTICLE A) SUMMARIZES THE LITERATURE ON POTENTIAL MECHANISMS OF PRENATAL YOGA TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE GWG SPECIFICALLY FOCUSING ON BEHAVIORAL (DIET, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND SLEEP), PSYCHOLOGICAL/EMOTIONAL (SELF-AWARENESS, EMOTION REGULATION, STRESS, MOOD, MINDFULNESS) AND PHYSICAL FACTORS (PREGNANCY DISCOMFORTS), B) HIGHLIGHTS LIMITATIONS OF CURRENT STUDIES, AND C) PROVIDES SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH. THE FINDINGS DEMONSTRATE THERE IS INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE THAT PRENATAL YOGA IMPROVES BEHAVIORAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL/EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL FACTORS IN PREGNANT WOMEN AND MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED. THOUGH THESE FACTORS HAVE BEEN MORE STRONGLY LINKED TO IMPROVED WEIGHT OUTCOMES IN NON-PREGNANT POPULATIONS, FURTHER TESTING IN PREGNANT WOMEN IS NECESSARY TO DRAW DEFINITIVE CONCLUSIONS FOR THE EFFICACY OF PRENATAL YOGA TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE GWG. CONCLUSION: EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES ARE NEEDED TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE GWG TO ENCOURAGE OPTIMAL MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH OUTCOMES. MORE RESEARCH IS WARRANTED TO EVALUATE THE IMPACT OF PRENATAL YOGA ON WEIGHT OUTCOMES DURING PREGNANCY AND DESIGN STUDIES TO TEST THE PROPOSED MECHANISMS DISCUSSED IN THIS REVIEW. 2022 2 2670 27 YOGA IN PREGNANCY. YOGA IS A MIND-BODY PRACTICE THAT ENCOMPASSES A SYSTEM OF POSTURES (ASANA), DEEP BREATHING (PRANAYAMA), AND MEDITATION. OVER 36 MILLION AMERICANS PRACTICE YOGA OF WHICH THE MAJORITY ARE REPRODUCTIVE-AGED WOMEN. LITERATURE TO SUPPORT THIS PRACTICE IS LIMITED, ALBEIT ON THE RISE. A PRENATAL YOGA PRACTICE HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BENEFIT WOMEN WHO SUFFER FROM ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, STRESS, LOW BACK PAIN, AND SLEEP DISTURBANCES. A SMALL NUMBER OF STUDIES HAVE BEEN PERFORMED IN HIGH-RISK PREGNANCIES THAT ALSO DEMONSTRATE AN IMPROVEMENT IN OUTCOMES. THE SAFETY OF PERFORMING YOGA FOR THE FIRST TIME IN PREGNANCY AND FETAL TOLERANCE HAS BEEN DEMONSTRATED. 2016 3 1469 36 INNOVATIONS IN THE TREATMENT OF PERINATAL DEPRESSION: THE ROLE OF YOGA AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY INTERVENTIONS DURING PREGNANCY AND POSTPARTUM. PURPOSE OF REVIEW: WE REVIEW EVIDENCE FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND YOGA AS INTERVENTIONS FOR DEPRESSED PREGNANT AND POSTPARTUM WOMEN. RECENT FINDINGS: RESULTS FROM EXISTING TRIALS HAVE GENERALLY INDICATED THAT PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND YOGA INTERVENTIONS ARE ACCEPTABLE TO WOMEN DURING THE PERINATAL PERIOD, AND THAT THESE INTERVENTIONS CAN BE EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING DEPRESSION. HOWEVER, SOME STUDIES HAVE NOT FOUND SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN INTERVENTION AND CONTROL CONDITIONS. IN ADDITION, SYMPTOM IMPROVEMENTS WERE NOT ALWAYS MAINTAINED. THE AVAILABLE RESEARCH ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND YOGA AS INTERVENTIONS FOR PERINATAL DEPRESSION IS ENCOURAGING WITH REGARD TO FEASIBILITY, ACCEPTABILITY, PATIENT SAFETY, AND PRELIMINARY EFFICACY. THESE INTERVENTIONS HAVE THE ABILITY TO REACH A LARGE NUMBER OF WOMEN WHO MAY NOT ENGAGE IN TRADITIONAL TREATMENT. ADDITIONAL HIGH QUALITY, RIGOROUS, RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS ARE NEEDED. FUTURE RESEARCH IS ALSO NEEDED TO EXAMINE THE OPTIMAL DOSE OF THESE INTERVENTIONS AND HOW TO BEST INCREASE SUSTAINED ENGAGEMENT. 2019 4 1151 34 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 5 2899 48 [EFFECTS OF PRENATAL YOGA: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS]. OBJECTIVES: WHILE SEVERAL STUDIES ON THE PREVENTIVE AND THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF PRENATAL YOGA (MATERNITY YOGA) HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN RECENT YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN NO SYSTEMATIC REVIEW ON THE EFFECTS OF PRENATAL YOGA BASED ON RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS (RCT). THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY, THEREFORE, WAS TO SYSTEMATICALLY REVIEW THE LITERATURE TO CLARIFY THE EFFECTS OF PRENATAL YOGA IN RCT FOCUSING ON THE CONTENTS OF THE INTERVENTION, THE INTERVENTION MEANS, AND THE FREQUENCY OF PRACTICE. METHODS: THE LITERATURE SEARCH WAS PERFORMED USING THE ELECTRONIC DATABASE, PUBMED. THE INCLUSION CRITERIA WERE RCT, PREGNANT WOMEN, AND YOGA INTERVENTION. RESULTS: IN TOTAL, 54 CITATIONS WERE FOUND; OF THESE, EIGHT STUDIES (10 REPORTS) WERE INCLUDED IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS. IN FOUR STUDIES ON HEALTHY PREGNANT WOMEN, SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN PAIN AND PLEASURE AT DELIVERY, DURATION OF DELIVERY, PERCEIVED STRESS LEVELS DURING PREGNANCY, ANXIETY LEVELS, DEPRESSION, PREGNANCY-RELATED EXPERIENCES, QUALITY OF LIFE, AND INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS WERE COMPARED TO THOSE IN THE CONTROL GROUP. IN TWO STUDIES ON DEPRESSED PREGNANT WOMEN, ONE REPORTED THAT DEPRESSION, ANXIETY LEVELS, ANGER LEVELS, LEG PAIN, AND BACK PAIN SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED WITH YOGA, WHILE THE OTHER FOUND NO DIFFERENCES FROM THE CONTROL GROUP. IN ONE STUDY OF HIGH-RISK PREGNANT WOMEN WITH MORBIDITY FACTORS SUCH AS OBESITY OR ADVANCED AGE, YOGA RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANTLY FEWER CASES OF PREGNANCY-INDUCED HYPERTENSION, GESTATIONAL DIABETES, AND INTRAUTERINE GROWTH RESTRICTION, AS WELL AS A DECREASE IN PERCEIVED STRESS LEVELS. IN ONE STUDY ON PREGNANT WOMEN WITH PELVIC PAIN, THE MEDIAN PAIN SCORE WAS LOWER IN THE YOGA GROUP. REGARDING THE CONTENTS OF THE INTERVENTION, WHILE THE TWO STUDIES FOR DEPRESSED PREGNANT WOMEN ONLY INCLUDED PHYSICAL POSTURES, THE REMAINING SIX STUDIES ALSO INCLUDED BREATHING TECHNIQUE AND MEDITATION. INTERVENTIONS WERE PERFORMED USING LECTURES BY INSTRUCTORS ALONE OR TOGETHER WITH SELF-TEACHING. THE FREQUENCY OF THE INTERVENTION VARIED WITHIN EACH STUDY. CONCLUSION: THE FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT PRENATAL YOGA MAY HELP REDUCE PELVIC PAIN. IT MAY ALSO IMPROVE MENTAL CONDITION (STRESS, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, ETC.), PHYSICAL CONDITION (PAIN AND PLEASURE AT THE DELIVERY, ETC.), AND PERINATAL OUTCOMES (OBSTETRICAL COMPLICATIONS, DELIVERY TIME, ETC.). HOWEVER, FURTHER STUDIES ARE NEEDED. THE CONTENTS OF THE INTERVENTION, THE INTERVENTION MEANS, AND THE FREQUENCY VARIED WITH EACH STUDY. THUS, IT IS NECESSARY TO FURTHER EXAMINE THE CONTENT OF EFFECTIVE INTERVENTIONS, INTERVENTION MEANS, AND FREQUENCY THAT SUIT PARTICIPANT'S CHARACTERISTICS AND EACH OUTCOME. FURTHER RESEARCH IN THIS FIELD, PARTICULARLY RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS, IS MERITED. 2015 6 2774 39 YOGA RESEARCH REVIEW. THIS PAPER IS A REVIEW OF EMPIRICAL STUDIES, REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS PUBLICATIONS ON YOGA FROM THE LAST FEW YEARS. THE REVIEW INCLUDES DEMOGRAPHICS/PREVALENCE OF YOGA AS A PRACTICE, BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSES OF THE YOGA PUBLICATIONS AND THE USE OF YOGA FOR PHYSICAL FITNESS AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION. MOST OF THE STUDIES REVIEWED HERE INVOLVE YOGA EFFECTS ON PSYCHIATRIC AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS. THESE INCLUDE PREGNANCY, PRENATAL AND POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION; STRESS, PTSD, ANXIETY, AND OBESITY; CARDIOVASCULAR CONDITIONS INCLUDING HYPERTENSION; PAIN SYNDROMES INCLUDING ARTHRITIS, HEADACHES AND LOW BACK PAIN; AUTOIMMUNE CONDITIONS INCLUDING ASTHMA, TYPE II DIABETES AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS; IMMUNE CONDITIONS INCLUDING HIV AND BREAST CANCER; AND AGING PROBLEMS INCLUDING BALANCE, OSTEOPOROSIS AND PARKINSON'S. THE METHODS AND RESULTS OF THOSE STUDIES ARE BRIEFLY SUMMARIZED ALONG WITH THEIR LIMITATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH. BASICALLY YOGA HAS BEEN MORE EFFECTIVE THAN CONTROL AND WAITLIST CONTROL CONDITIONS, ALTHOUGH NOT ALWAYS MORE EFFECTIVE THAN TREATMENT COMPARISON GROUPS SUCH AS OTHER FORMS OF EXERCISE. MORE RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDIES ARE NEEDED IN WHICH YOGA IS COMPARED TO ACTIVE EXERCISE GROUPS. HAVING ESTABLISHED THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF YOGA MAKES IT ETHICALLY QUESTIONABLE TO ASSIGN PARTICIPANTS TO INACTIVE CONTROL GROUPS. SHORTER SESSIONS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FOR COST-EFFECTIVENESS AND FOR DAILY PRACTICE. MULTIPLE PHYSICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASURES NEED TO BE ADDED TO THE SELF-REPORT RESEARCH PROTOCOLS AND POTENTIAL UNDERLYING MECHANISMS NEED TO BE FURTHER EXPLORED. IN THE INTERIM, THE STUDIES REVIEWED HERE HIGHLIGHT THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF YOGA, A PRACTICE THAT COULD COME TO BE CALLED YOGA THERAPY. 2016 7 1218 26 EXPLORING THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF YOGA AND ITS ABILITY TO INCREASE QUALITY OF LIFE. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY IS TO ASSESS THE FINDINGS OF SELECTED ARTICLES REGARDING THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF YOGA AND TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE BENEFITS OF REGULAR YOGA PRACTICE. AS PARTICIPATION RATES IN MIND-BODY FITNESS PROGRAMS SUCH AS YOGA CONTINUE TO INCREASE, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS TO BE INFORMED ABOUT THE NATURE OF YOGA AND THE EVIDENCE OF ITS MANY THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS. THUS, THIS MANUSCRIPT PROVIDES INFORMATION REGARDING THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF YOGA AS IT HAS BEEN STUDIED IN VARIOUS POPULATIONS CONCERNING A MULTITUDE OF DIFFERENT AILMENTS AND CONDITIONS. THERAPEUTIC YOGA IS DEFINED AS THE APPLICATION OF YOGA POSTURES AND PRACTICE TO THE TREATMENT OF HEALTH CONDITIONS AND INVOLVES INSTRUCTION IN YOGIC PRACTICES AND TEACHINGS TO PREVENT REDUCE OR ALLEVIATE STRUCTURAL, PHYSIOLOGICAL, EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL PAIN, SUFFERING OR LIMITATIONS. RESULTS FROM THIS STUDY SHOW THAT YOGIC PRACTICES ENHANCE MUSCULAR STRENGTH AND BODY FLEXIBILITY, PROMOTE AND IMPROVE RESPIRATORY AND CARDIOVASCULAR FUNCTION, PROMOTE RECOVERY FROM AND TREATMENT OF ADDICTION, REDUCE STRESS, ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, AND CHRONIC PAIN, IMPROVE SLEEP PATTERNS, AND ENHANCE OVERALL WELL-BEING AND QUALITY OF LIFE. 2011 8 2292 27 THERAPEUTIC EFFECTS OF YOGA FOR CHILDREN: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE. PURPOSE: WE COMPLETED A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ON THE EFFECT OF YOGA ON QUALITY OF LIFE AND PHYSICAL OUTCOME MEASURES IN THE PEDIATRIC POPULATION. WE EXPLORED VARIOUS DATABASES AND INCLUDED CASE-CONTROL AND PILOT STUDIES, COHORT AND RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS THAT EXAMINED YOGA AS AN EXERCISE INTERVENTION FOR CHILDREN. SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS: USING THE SACKETT LEVELS OF EVIDENCE, THIS ARTICLE REVIEWS THE LITERATURE ON YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY MIND-BODY MOVEMENT THERAPY. WE ADDRESS THE RESEARCH THROUGH THREE PRACTICE PATTERNS ACCORDING TO THE GUIDE TO PHYSICAL THERAPIST PRACTICE AND PROVIDE CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE INCLUSION OF YOGA INTO CLINICAL PRACTICE. STATEMENT OF CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: THE EVIDENCE SHOWS PHYSIOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF YOGA FOR THE PEDIATRIC POPULATION THAT MAY BENEFIT CHILDREN THROUGH THE REHABILITATION PROCESS, BUT LARGER CLINICAL TRIALS, INCLUDING SPECIFIC MEASURES OF QUALITY OF LIFE ARE NECESSARY TO PROVIDE DEFINITIVE EVIDENCE. 2008 9 150 28 A QUALITATIVE INVESTIGATION OF A PRENATAL YOGA INTERVENTION TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE GESTATIONAL WEIGHT GAIN: A THEMATIC ANALYSIS OF INTERVIEWS. PURPOSE: TO DESCRIBE PREGNANT WOMEN'S EXPERIENCES AND PERCEIVED FACILITATORS/BARRIERS OF A PRENATAL YOGA INTERVENTION TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE GESTATIONAL WEIGHT GAIN (EGWG). METHODS: PREGNANT WOMEN (N = 13) WERE INTERVIEWED AFTER PARTICIPATION IN A 12-WEEK PRENATAL YOGA INTERVENTION TO PREVENT EGWG. INTERVIEWS WERE SUMMARIZED USING THEMATIC ANALYSIS. RESULTS: TWELVE THEMES WERE IDENTIFIED AND ORGANIZED INTO FOUR CATEGORIES: 1) EXPERIENCES OF PRENATAL YOGA (POSITIVE EXPERIENCE/ENJOYMENT, PAIN RELIEF, CONNECTING TO BODY), 2) PRENATAL YOGA AND WEIGHT (INCREASED MINDFULNESS/SELF-AWARENESS, INCREASED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, WEIGHT MANAGEMENT), 3) BARRIERS TO PRENATAL YOGA (PHYSICAL BODY, COMMUTE/TRAFFIC, SCHEDULE), AND 4) FACILITATORS OF PRENATAL YOGA (HEALTHY PREGNANCY, SUPPORT FROM OTHER PREGNANT WOMEN, THE FEELING FROM PRENATAL YOGA). CONCLUSION: PRENATAL YOGA MAY RELIEVE PAIN AND HELP WOMEN BE MORE CONNECTED TO THEIR BODIES. PRENATAL YOGA MAY ALSO HELP WOMEN BECOME MORE AWARE OF THEIR HEALTH BEHAVIORS AND INCREASES THEIR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY WHICH MAY HAVE IMPORTANT IMPLICATIONS FOR REDUCING EGWG. 2021 10 22 32 "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 11 2453 34 YOGA AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: A GUIDE FOR CLINICIANS. YOGA IS BEING USED BY A GROWING NUMBER OF YOUTH AND ADULTS AS A MEANS OF IMPROVING OVERALL HEALTH AND FITNESS. THERE IS ALSO A PROGRESSIVE TREND TOWARD USE OF YOGA AS A MIND-BODY COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE INTERVENTION TO IMPROVE SPECIFIC PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS. TO PROVIDE CLINICIANS WITH THERAPEUTICALLY USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT YOGA, THE EVIDENCE EVALUATING YOGA AS AN EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH HEALTH PROBLEMS IS REVIEWED AND SUMMARIZED. A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF YOGA AND YOGA THERAPY IS PRESENTED ALONG WITH YOGA RESOURCES AND PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR CLINICAL PRACTITIONERS TO USE WITH THEIR PATIENTS. THE MAJORITY OF AVAILABLE STUDIES WITH CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS SUGGEST BENEFITS TO USING YOGA AS A THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTION AND SHOW VERY FEW ADVERSE EFFECTS. THESE RESULTS MUST BE INTERPRETED AS PRELIMINARY FINDINGS BECAUSE MANY OF THE STUDIES HAVE METHODOLOGICAL LIMITATIONS THAT PREVENT STRONG CONCLUSIONS FROM BEING DRAWN. YOGA APPEARS PROMISING AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS. FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO APPLY IT MOST EFFECTIVELY AND MORE COORDINATED RESEARCH EFFORTS ARE NEEDED. 2010 12 2402 29 YOGA AND EATING DISORDERS: IS THERE A PLACE FOR YOGA IN THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF EATING DISORDERS AND DISORDERED EATING BEHAVIOURS? THIS PAPER ADDRESSES THE QUESTION: WHAT CAN THE PRACTICE OF YOGA OFFER THE FIELD OF EATING DISORDERS IN TERMS OF PREVENTION AND TREATMENT? REGARDING PREVENTION, PRELIMINARY RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT YOGA MAY BE EFFECTIVE IN DECREASING RISK FACTORS, AND INCREASING PROTECTIVE FACTORS, FOR EATING DISORDERS. YOGA WAS ALSO FOUND TO BE HELPFUL IN A SMALL NUMBER OF TREATMENT STUDIES. HOWEVER, FINDINGS ARE NOT CONSISTENT ACROSS STUDIES, WHICH ARE LIMITED IN NUMBER, AND DUE TO THE PRELIMINARY NATURE OF THIS BODY OF RESEARCH, MOST STUDIES HAVE WEAKNESSES IN THEIR DESIGNS (E.G. OBSERVATIONAL DESIGN, NO CONTROL GROUPS, OR SMALL SAMPLE SIZES). THE BASIC TENETS OF YOGA, ANECDOTAL REPORTS OF ITS EFFECTIVENESS, ITS HIGH ACCESSIBILITY AND LOW COST, AND INITIAL RESEARCH FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT YOGA MAY OFFER PROMISE FOR THE FIELD OF EATING DISORDERS. TWO OPTIONS ARE SUGGESTED FOR PREVENTION: (1) EATING DISORDER PREVENTION CAN BE INTEGRATED INTO ONGOING YOGA CLASSES AND (2) YOGA CAN BE INTEGRATED INTO EATING DISORDER PREVENTION PROGRAMMES. REGARDING TREATMENT, IT IS IMPORTANT TO EXAMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DIFFERENT TEACHING STYLES AND PRACTICES FOR DIFFERENT EATING DISORDERS. POTENTIAL HARMS OF YOGA SHOULD ALSO BE EXPLORED. FURTHER RESEARCH, USING STRONGER STUDY DESIGNS, SUCH AS RANDOMISED, CONTROLLED TRIALS, IS NEEDED. 2014 13 549 24 CONTEXTUALIZING THE EFFECTS OF YOGA THERAPY ON DIABETES MANAGEMENT: A REVIEW OF THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. THIS ARTICLE PROVIDES A REVIEW OF LITERATURE BOTH TO IDENTIFY THE EFFECTS OF YOGA-BASED THERAPY ON THE MANAGEMENT OF TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS AND TO EXAMINE THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. FINDINGS FROM THE REVIEW INDICATE THAT YOGA HAS A POSITIVE SHORT-TERM EFFECT ON MULTIPLE DIABETES-RELATED OUTCOMES; HOWEVER, LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF YOGA THERAPY ON DIABETES MANAGEMENT REMAIN UNCLEAR. THE CONTEXT OF THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT, INCLUDING INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS, COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS, AND DISCRIMINATION, INFLUENCES THE ADOPTION AND MAINTENANCE OF HEALTH BEHAVIORS SUCH AS PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, INCLUDING YOGA PRACTICE. FURTHER RESEARCH IS NECESSARY TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF THIS INFLUENCE. 2008 14 1040 38 EFFECTS OF YOGA INTERVENTION DURING PREGNANCY: A REVIEW FOR CURRENT STATUS. OBJECTIVES: THE PURPOSE OF THIS ARTICLE IS TO REVIEW ALL RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIALS (RCTS) THAT HAVE LOOKED AT THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF YOGA ON PREGNANCY, AND TO PRESENT THEIR EVIDENCE ON THE SPECIFIC WAYS IN WHICH PREGNANT WOMEN, AND THEIR INFANTS CAN BENEFIT FROM YOGA INTERVENTION. THE PURPOSE IS ALSO TO DETERMINE WHETHER YOGA INTERVENTION DURING PREGNANCY IS MORE BENEFICIAL THAN OTHER PHYSICAL EXERCISES. METHODS: FOUR DATABASES WERE SEARCHED USING THE TERMS "YOGA AND (PREGNANCY OR PREGNANT OR PRENATAL OR POSTNATAL OR POSTPARTUM)." DATABASES WERE SEARCHED FROM JANUARY 2004 TO FEBRUARY 2014. RESULTS: TEN RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS WERE EVALUATED. THE FINDINGS CONSISTENTLY INDICATE THAT YOGA INTERVENTION PRESENTED WITH LOWER INCIDENCES OF PRENATAL DISORDERS (P