1 331 130 APPLICATION OF INTEGRATED YOGA THERAPY TO INCREASE IMITATION SKILLS IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER. BACKGROUND/AIM: CHILDREN WITH AUTISM EXHIBIT SIGNIFICANT DEFICITS IN IMITATION SKILLS, WHICH IMPEDE THE ACQUISITION OF MORE COMPLEX BEHAVIOR AND SOCIALIZATION. IMITATION IS OFTEN TARGETED EARLY IN INTERVENTION PLANS AND CONTINUES TO BE ADDRESSED THROUGHOUT THE CHILD'S TREATMENT. THE USE OF INTEGRATED APPROACH TO YOGA THERAPY (IAYT) AS A COMPLEMENTARY THERAPY FOR CHILDREN DIAGNOSED WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD) IS RARELY REPORTED AND LITTLE IS KNOWN ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF SUCH THERAPIES. THIS STUDY INVESTIGATED IAYT AS A TREATMENT METHOD WITH CHILDREN WITH ASD TO INCREASE IMITATIVE SKILLS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PARENTS AND SIX CHILDREN WITH ASD PARTICIPATED IN A 10-MONTH PROGRAM OF 5-WEEKLY SESSIONS AND REGULAR PRACTICE AT HOME. PRE, MID AND POST TREATMENT ASSESSMENTS INCLUDED OBSERVERS AND PARENT RATINGS OF CHILDREN'S IMITATION SKILLS IN TASKS RELATED TO IMITATION SKILLS SUCH AS GROSS MOTOR ACTIONS, VOCALIZATION, COMPLEX IMITATION, ORAL FACIAL MOVEMENTS AND IMITATING BREATHING EXERCISES. RESULTS: IMPROVEMENT IN CHILDREN'S IMITATION SKILLS ESPECIALLY POINTING TO BODY, POSTURAL AND ORAL FACIAL MOVEMENTS. PARENTS REPORTED CHANGE IN THE PLAY PATTERN OF THESE CHILDREN WITH TOYS, PEERS AND OBJECTS AT HOME. CONCLUSIONS: THIS STUDY INDICATES THAT IAYT MAY OFFER BENEFITS AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL TO INCREASE IMITATION, COGNITIVE SKILLS AND SOCIAL-COMMUNICATIVE BEHAVIORS IN CHILDREN WITH ASD. IN ADDITION, CHILDREN EXHIBITED INCREASED SKILLS IN EYE CONTACT, SITTING TOLERANCE, NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION AND RECEPTIVE SKILLS TO VERBAL COMMANDS RELATED TO SPATIAL RELATIONSHIP. 2010 2 2734 32 YOGA PARTICIPATION ASSOCIATED WITH CHANGES IN DIETARY PATTERNS AND STRESS: A PILOT STUDY IN STRESSED ADULTS WITH POOR DIET. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: STRESS CONTRIBUTES TO DIETARY PATTERNS THAT IMPEDE HEALTH. YOGA IS AN INTEGRATIVE STRESS MANAGEMENT APPROACH ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROVED DIETARY PATTERNS IN BURGEONING RESEARCH. YET, NO RESEARCH HAS EXAMINED CHANGE IN DIETARY PATTERNS, BODY MASS INDEX (BMI), AND STRESS DURING A YOGA INTERVENTION AMONG STRESSED ADULTS WITH POOR DIET. MATERIALS AND METHODS: OBJECTIVELY-MEASURED BMI AND A BATTERY OF SELF-REPORT QUESTIONNAIRES WERE COLLECTED AT FOUR TIME POINTS DURING AND FOLLOWING A 12-WEEK YOGA INTERVENTION (N = 78, 71% WOMEN, MEAN BMI = 25.69 KG/M(2)+/-4.59) - PRE-TREATMENT (T1), MID-TREATMENT (6 WEEKS; T2), POST-TREATMENT (12 WEEKS; T3), AND AT 3-MONTH FOLLOW-UP (24 WEEKS; T4). RESULTS: T1 TO T3 FRUIT AND VEGETABLE INTAKE, BMI, AND STRESS SIGNIFICANTLY DECLINED IN THE OVERALL SAMPLE. REDUCTION IN VEGETABLE INTAKE WAS NO LONGER SIGNIFICANT AFTER ACCOUNTING FOR REDUCTIONS IN CALORIC INTAKE, AND REDUCTION IN CALORIC INTAKE REMAINED SIGNIFICANT AFTER ACCOUNTING FOR REDUCTIONS IN STRESS. CONCLUSION: FINDINGS MAY BE INTERPRETED AS YOGA EITHER ENCOURAGING OR ADVERSELY IMPACTING HEALTHY DIETARY PATTERNS (I.E., MINIMIZING LIKELIHOOD OF FUTURE WEIGHT GAIN VS. DECREASING VEGETABLE INTAKE AND OVERALL CALORIC INTAKE AMONG INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY NOT NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT, RESPECTIVELY). CONTINUED RESEARCH IS WARRANTED, UTILIZING CAUSAL DESIGNS. 2021 3 1492 32 INTERNALIZED WEIGHT STIGMA AND INTUITIVE EATING AMONG STRESSED ADULTS DURING A MINDFUL YOGA INTERVENTION: ASSOCIATIONS WITH CHANGES IN MINDFULNESS AND SELF-COMPASSION. PURPOSE: INTERNALIZED WEIGHT STIGMA (IWS) IS COMMON IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ACROSS BODY WEIGHT CATEGORIES, AND IS IMPLICATED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF DISTRESS AND UNHEALTHY EATING BEHAVIORS (E.G. OVEREATING, DISORDERED EATING) THAT CAN FOSTER POOR CARDIOMETABOLIC HEALTH. WHILE EMERGING INTERVENTION RESEARCH SHOWS EARLY PROMISE IN REDUCING IWS, LONG-TERM EFFICACY IS UNCLEAR AND NOVEL STRATEGIES REMAIN NEEDED. THIS ANALYSIS EXAMINED WHETHER PARTICIPATION IN A MINDFUL YOGA INTERVENTION WAS ASSOCIATED WITH REDUCED IWS AND INCREASED INTUITIVE EATING, AN ADAPTIVE EATING BEHAVIOR, AND WHETHER THESE CHANGES CORRELATED WITH EACH OTHER OR WITH CHANGES IN MINDFULNESS AND SELF-COMPASSION. METHODS: PARTICIPANTS WERE STRESSED ADULTS WITH LOW FRUIT AND VEGETABLE INTAKE (N = 78, 64.1% WHITE, M. BODY MASS INDEX 25.59 +/- 4.45) ENROLLED IN A PARENT CLINICAL TRIAL OF A 12-WEEK MINDFUL YOGA INTERVENTION. VALIDATED SELF-REPORT MEASURES OF IWS, INTUITIVE EATING, MINDFULNESS, AND SELF-COMPASSION WERE ADMINISTERED AT PRE-TREATMENT, MID-TREATMENT (8 WEEKS), POST-TREATMENT (12 WEEKS), AND 4-MONTH FOLLOW-UP (24 WEEKS). RESULTS: LINEAR MIXED MODELING REVEALED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN IWS AND INTUITIVE EATING ACROSS THE FOUR TIMEPOINTS (P < .001). REDUCED IWS CORRELATED WITH INCREASED INTUITIVE EATING PRE- TO POST-TREATMENT (P = .01). IMPROVED SELF-COMPASSION AND MINDFULNESS CORRELATED WITH INTUITIVE EATING (BOTH P = . 04), BUT NOT IWS (P = .74 AND P = .56, RESPECTIVELY). CONCLUSION: THIS STUDY OFFERS PRELIMINARY SUPPORT FOR THE HYPOTHESIS THAT MINDFUL YOGA MAY PROMOTE INTUITIVE EATING AND REDUCE IWS AMONG STRESSED ADULTS WITH POOR DIET, AND SUGGESTS THAT CHANGES IN THESE FACTORS MAY CO-OCCUR OVER TIME. FURTHER INVESTIGATION WITH CONTROLLED DESIGNS IS NECESSARY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE TEMPORALITY AND CAUSALITY OF THESE RELATIONSHIPS.TRIAL REGISTRATION: CLINICALTRIALS.GOV IDENTIFIER: NCT02098018. 2021 4 562 32 CREATIVE YOGA INTERVENTION IMPROVES MOTOR AND IMITATION SKILLS OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER. BACKGROUND: THERE IS GROWING EVIDENCE FOR MOTOR IMPAIRMENTS IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD), INCLUDING POOR GROSS AND FINE MOTOR PERFORMANCE, POOR BALANCE, AND INCOORDINATION. HOWEVER, THERE IS LIMITED EVIDENCE ON THE EFFECTS OF MOTOR INTERVENTIONS FOR THIS POPULATION. OBJECTIVE: IN THE PRESENT STUDY, THE EFFECTS OF A PHYSICAL THERAPY INTERVENTION USING CREATIVE YOGA ON THE MOTOR AND IMITATION SKILLS OF CHILDREN WITH ASD WERE EVALUATED. DESIGN: THIS STUDY HAD A PRETEST-POSTTEST CONTROL GROUP DESIGN. METHODS: TWENTY-FOUR CHILDREN WITH ASD AGED BETWEEN 5 AND 13 YEARS RECEIVED 8 WEEKS OF A PHYSICAL THERAPIST-DELIVERED YOGA OR ACADEMIC INTERVENTION. CHILDREN WERE TESTED BEFORE AND AFTER THE INTERVENTION USING A STANDARDIZED MOTOR MEASURE, THE BRUININKS-OSERETSKY TEST OF MOTOR PERFORMANCE-2ND EDITION (BOT-2). THE IMITATION SKILLS OF CHILDREN USING FAMILIAR TRAINING-SPECIFIC ACTIONS (IE, POSES FOR THE YOGA GROUP AND BUILDING ACTIONS FOR THE ACADEMIC GROUP) WERE ALSO ASSESSED. RESULTS: AFTER THE INTERVENTION, CHILDREN IN THE YOGA GROUP IMPROVED GROSS MOTOR PERFORMANCE ON THE BOT-2 AND DISPLAYED FEWER IMITATION/PRAXIS ERRORS WHEN COPYING TRAINING-SPECIFIC YOGA POSES. IN CONTRAST, CHILDREN IN THE ACADEMIC GROUP IMPROVED THEIR FINE MOTOR PERFORMANCE ON THE BOT-2 AND PERFORMED FEWER IMITATION ERRORS WHILE COMPLETING THE TRAINING-SPECIFIC BUILDING ACTIONS. LIMITATIONS: THE STUDY LIMITATIONS INCLUDE SMALL SAMPLE SIZE AND LACK OF LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP. CONCLUSIONS: OVERALL, CREATIVE INTERVENTIONS, SUCH AS YOGA, ARE PROMISING TOOLS FOR ENHANCING THE MOTOR AND IMITATION SKILLS OF CHILDREN WITH ASD. 2019 5 1474 27 INTEGRATED APPROACH TO YOGA THERAPY AND AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS. A SPECIALLY DESIGNED INTEGRATED APPROACH TO YOGA THERAPY MODULE WAS APPLIED TO AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS OVER A PERIOD OF TWO ACADEMIC YEARS. DESPITE LOW NUMBERS (SIX IN EACH ARM), CONSISTENCY AND MAGNITUDE OF EFFECTS MAKE THE FINDINGS SIGNIFICANT. PARENTAL PARTICIPATION, ALLOWING FIRM GUIDANCE TO BE GIVEN TO EACH CHILD, RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN IMITATION AND OTHER SKILLS, AND IN BEHAVIOR AT HOME AND FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS. WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT GUIDED IMITATION OF THERAPIST BODY POSITIONS STIMULATED MIRROR NEURON ACTIVATION, RESULTING IN IMPROVED SENSE OF SELF. 2010 6 1293 29 GROUP-BASED YOGIC WEIGHT LOSS WITH AYURVEDA-INSPIRED COMPONENTS: A PILOT INVESTIGATION OF FEMALE YOGA PRACTITIONERS AND NOVICES. INTRODUCTION: OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY IS A PRESSING INTERNATIONAL HEALTH CONCERN AND CONVENTIONAL TREATMENTS DEMONSTRATE POOR LONG-TERM EFFICACY. PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE SUGGESTS YOGA AND AYURVEDA MAY BE PROMISING APPROACHES, ALTHOUGH RECENT NHIS ESTIMATES INDICATE RARE UTILIZATION OF AYURVEDA IN THE US. GROUP-BASED CURRICULA THAT INTEGRATE YOGA AND AYURVEDA-INSPIRED PRINCIPLES TO ATTENUATE OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY ACROSS INDIVIDUALS MAY PROVE A FEASIBLE, DISSEMINABLE CLINICAL ADJUNCT TO FACILITATE PSYCHOSOCIAL HEALTH AND WEIGHT LOSS AND/OR MAINTENANCE. AIMS: DETERMINE FEASIBILITY AND PRELIMINARY EFFECTIVENESS OF A TEN-WEEK YOGA - BASED, AYURVEDA-INSPIRED WEIGHT MANAGEMENT CURRICULUM (YWL) PILOTED IN FEMALE YOGA PRACTITIONERS (STUDY 1) THEN REFINED AND TAILORED FOR YOGA NAIVES (STUDY 2), ON SELF-REPORTED PSYCHOSOCIAL PROCESS VARIABLES AND % OF SELF-REPORTED TOTAL BODY WEIGHT LOSS (%TBWL). METHODOLOGY: STUDY 1 ENROLLED 22 YOGA-EXPERIENCED WOMEN (48.2 +/- 14.3 YEARS, BMI 30.8 +/- 4.2 KG/M2) IN A 10-WEEK YOGA-BASED PROGRAM (YWL-YE). STUDY 2 ENROLLED 21 YOGA- NAIVE WOMEN (49.4 +/- 10.7 YEARS, BMI 35.5 +/- 6.8 KG/M2) IN A REVISED 10-WEEK PROGRAM (YWL-YN). SELF-REPORTED WEIGHT AND SELF-RATINGS OF MINDFUL EATING BEHAVIOR, BODY IMAGE DISTURBANCE, WEIGHT LOSS SELF-EFFICACY, BODY AWARENESS, AND SELF-COMPASSION WERE COLLECTED AT BASELINE, POST-TREATMENT (T2), AND 3-MONTH FOLLOW- UP (T3). RESULTS: YWL CURRICULA WAS FEASIBLE IN BOTH STUDIES. WHILE ATTRITION RATES FOR BOTH STUDIES FAVORABLY COMPARED TO OTHER WEIGHT MANAGEMENT STUDIES, ATTRITION WAS HIGHER FOR YWL-YN (28.6%) THAN YWL-YE (18.2%). IN BOTH STUDIES, SELF-REPORTED PROCESS VARIABLES AND SELF-REPORTED % TBWL CHANGED IN HYPOTHESIZED DIRECTIONS AT T2 AND EVIDENCED GREATER IMPROVEMENT AT T3; EFFECT SIZES ACROSS ALL PROCESS VARIABLES WERE MEDIUM (-0.4) TO LARGE (-1.8). % TBWL REACHED CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE (>5%) ONLY AT T3 FOR THE YWL-YE GROUP. CONCLUSIONS: THE YWL CURRICULA EMPLOYED HERE APPEAR TO IMPROVE PSYCHOSOCIAL HEALTH AMONG BOTH OVERWEIGHT/OBESE YOGA-EXPERIENCED AND YOGA- NAIVE WOMEN. RESULTS MUST BE INTERPRETED WITH CAUTION DUE TO STUDY DESIGN, SELF-REPORT ASSESSMENTS, AND OTHER LIMITATIONS. NONETHELESS, HYPOTHESES ARE GENERATED FOR FUTURE INVESTIGATION. 2016 7 1336 22 HOW DOES YOGA REDUCE STRESS? A CLINICAL TRIAL TESTING PSYCHOLOGICAL MECHANISMS. YOGA INTERVENTIONS CAN REDUCE STRESS, BUT THE MECHANISMS UNDERLYING THAT STRESS REDUCTION REMAIN LARGELY UNIDENTIFIED. UNDERSTANDING HOW YOGA WORKS IS ESSENTIAL TO OPTIMIZING INTERVENTIONS. THE PRESENT STUDY TESTED FIVE POTENTIAL PSYCHOSOCIAL MECHANISMS (INCREASED MINDFULNESS, INTEROCEPTIVE AWARENESS, SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING, SELF-COMPASSION AND SELF-CONTROL) THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED TO EXPLAIN YOGA'S IMPACT ON STRESS. FORTY-TWO PARTICIPANTS (62% FEMALE; 64% WHITE) IN A YOGA PROGRAM FOR STRESS REDUCTION COMPLETED SURVEYS AT BASELINE (T1), MID-INTERVENTION (T2) AND POST-INTERVENTION (12 WEEKS; T3). WE MEASURED TWO ASPECTS OF STRESS, PERCEIVED STRESS AND STRESS REACTIVITY. CHANGES WERE ASSESSED WITH PAIRED T-TESTS; ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN CHANGES IN MECHANISMS WERE TESTED IN RESIDUAL CHANGE MODELS. ONLY STRESS REACTIVITY DECREASED, ON AVERAGE, FROM T1 TO T3. EXCEPT FOR SELF-COMPASSION, ALL PSYCHOSOCIAL MECHANISMS INCREASED FROM T1 TO T3, WITH MINIMAL CHANGES FROM T2 TO T3. EXCEPT FOR SELF-CONTROL, INCREASES IN EACH MECHANISM WERE STRONGLY ASSOCIATED WITH DECREASES IN BOTH MEASURES OF STRESS BETWEEN T1 AND T2 AND DECREASES IN PERCEIVED STRESS FROM T1 TO T3 (ALL P'S < 0.05). INCREASED PSYCHOSOCIAL RESOURCES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH STRESS REDUCTION. YOGA INTERVENTIONS TARGETING THESE RESOURCES MAY SHOW STRONGER STRESS REDUCTION EFFECTS. FUTURE RESEARCH SHOULD TEST THESE LINKAGES MORE RIGOROUSLY USING ACTIVE COMPARISON GROUPS AND LARGER SAMPLES. 2021 8 68 28 A DIFFERENT WEIGHT LOSS EXPERIENCE: A QUALITATIVE STUDY EXPLORING THE BEHAVIORAL, PHYSICAL, AND PSYCHOSOCIAL CHANGES ASSOCIATED WITH YOGA THAT PROMOTE WEIGHT LOSS. YOGA INTERVENTIONS IMPROVE OBESITY-RELATED OUTCOMES INCLUDING BODY MASS INDEX (BMI), BODY WEIGHT, BODY FAT, AND WAIST CIRCUMFERENCE, YET IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER THESE IMPROVEMENTS ARE DUE TO INCREASED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, INCREASED LEAN MUSCLE MASS, AND/OR CHANGES IN EATING BEHAVIORS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY IS TO EXPAND OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE EXPERIENCE OF LOSING WEIGHT THROUGH YOGA. METHODS. SEMISTRUCTURED INTERVIEWS WERE QUALITATIVELY ANALYZED USING A DESCRIPTIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL APPROACH. RESULTS. TWO DISTINCT GROUPS WHO HAD LOST WEIGHT THROUGH YOGA RESPONDED: THOSE WHO WERE OVERWEIGHT AND HAD REPEATEDLY STRUGGLED IN THEIR ATTEMPTS TO LOSE WEIGHT (55%, N = 11) AND THOSE WHO WERE OF NORMAL WEIGHT AND HAD LOST WEIGHT UNINTENTIONALLY (45%, N = 9). FIVE THEMES EMERGED THAT DIFFERED SLIGHTLY BY GROUP: SHIFT TOWARD HEALTHY EATING, IMPACT OF THE YOGA COMMUNITY/YOGA CULTURE, PHYSICAL CHANGES, PSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGES, AND THE BELIEF THAT THE YOGA WEIGHT LOSS EXPERIENCE WAS DIFFERENT THAN PAST WEIGHT LOSS EXPERIENCES. CONCLUSIONS. THESE FINDINGS IMPLY THAT YOGA COULD OFFER DIVERSE BEHAVIORAL, PHYSICAL, AND PSYCHOSOCIAL EFFECTS THAT MAY MAKE IT A USEFUL TOOL FOR WEIGHT LOSS. ROLE MODELING AND SOCIAL SUPPORT PROVIDED BY THE YOGA COMMUNITY MAY CONTRIBUTE TO WEIGHT LOSS, PARTICULARLY FOR INDIVIDUALS STRUGGLING TO LOSE WEIGHT. 2016 9 952 36 EFFECTS OF A CREATIVE YOGA INTERVENTION ON THE JOINT ATTENTION AND SOCIAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS, AS WELL AS AFFECTIVE STATES OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER. BACKGROUND: YOGA IS GAINING POPULARITY AS A MULTISYSTEM INTERVENTION DUE TO ITS IMPACT ON BOTH THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELL-BEING OF CHILDREN WITH TYPICAL DEVELOPMENT. HOWEVER, THERE IS LIMITED EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE USE OF THIS APPROACH IN SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD). THE CURRENT PILOT STUDY EVALUATED THE IMPACT OF A CREATIVE YOGA INTERVENTION ON THE JOINT ATTENTION, SOCIAL COMMUNICATION, AND AFFECTIVE STATES OF CHILDREN WITH ASD. METHODS: 24 SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN WITH ASD RECEIVED EIGHT WEEKS OF YOGA (E.G., BREATHING, POSES, RELAXATION) OR TABLETOP PLAY/ACADEMIC INTERVENTION (E.G., READING, ARTS-CRAFTS, BUILDING ACTIVITIES). CHILDREN WERE TESTED BEFORE AND AFTER THE INTERVENTION USING A STANDARDIZED MEASURE OF RESPONSIVE JOINT ATTENTION. ADDITIONALLY, CHANGES IN SOCIALLY DIRECTED VERBAL COMMUNICATION AND AFFECTIVE STATES OF CHILDREN WERE ASSESSED THREE TIMES DURING THE INTERVENTION PERIOD, I.E. DURING EARLY, MID, AND LATE INTERVENTION SESSIONS. RESULTS: CHILDREN WITH ASD SHOWED IMPROVEMENTS IN RESPONSIVE JOINT ATTENTION IN BOTH GROUPS IN THE POSTTEST VS. THE PRETEST. FURTHERMORE, CHILDREN IN THE YOGA GROUP SHOWED IMPROVEMENTS IN SOCIALLY DIRECTED VERBAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS ACROSS THE INTERVENTION SESSIONS, I.E. GREATER SPONTANEOUS AND RESPONSIVE COMMUNICATION FROM EARLY/MID TO LATE INTERVENTION SESSIONS COMPARED TO THE ACADEMIC GROUP. THERE WERE NO CHANGES IN AFFECTIVE STATES WITH THE INTERVENTION, HOWEVER, THE YOGA GROUP SHOWED GREATER INTERESTED AND LESS NEGATIVE AFFECT COMPARED TO THE ACADEMIC GROUP. CONCLUSIONS: CREATIVE YOGA INTERVENTION IS A PROMISING TOOL THAT LED TO IMPROVEMENTS IN INTERVENTION-RELATED SOCIAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS AND GENERALIZED JOINT ATTENTION SKILLS OF CHILDREN WITH ASD. 2021 10 1340 26 HOW IS THE PRACTICE OF YOGA RELATED TO WEIGHT STATUS? POPULATION-BASED FINDINGS FROM PROJECT EAT-IV. BACKGROUND: YOGA MAY PROVIDE A STRATEGY FOR HEALTHY WEIGHT MANAGEMENT IN YOUNG ADULTS. THIS STUDY EXAMINED PREVALENCE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUNG ADULTS' YOGA PRACTICE AND ASSOCIATIONS WITH CHANGES IN BODY MASS INDEX. METHODS: SURVEYS WERE COMPLETED BY 1830 YOUNG ADULTS (31.1 +/- 1.6 Y) PARTICIPATING IN PROJECT EAT-IV. CROSS-SECTIONAL AND 5-YEAR LONGITUDINAL ANALYSES WERE CONDUCTED STRATIFIED BY INITIAL WEIGHT STATUS. RESULTS: TWO-THIRDS (66.5%) OF NONOVERWEIGHT WOMEN AND 48.9% OF OVERWEIGHT WOMEN REPORTED EVER DOING YOGA, WHILE 27.2% OF NONOVERWEIGHT WOMEN AND 16.4% OF OVERWEIGHT WOMEN PRACTICED REGULARLY (>/=30 MIN/WK). FEWER MEN PRACTICED YOGA. AMONG YOUNG ADULTS PRACTICING REGULARLY (N = 294), DIFFERENCES WERE IDENTIFIED IN INTENSITY, TYPE, AND LOCATION OF YOGA PRACTICE ACROSS WEIGHT STATUS. YOUNG ADULTS WHO WERE OVERWEIGHT AND PRACTICED YOGA REGULARLY SHOWED A NONSIGNIFICANT 5-YEAR DECREASE IN THEIR BODY MASS INDEX (-0.60 KG/M(2); P = .49), WHEREAS THOSE NOT PRACTICING REGULARLY HAD SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN THEIR BODY MASS INDEX (+1.37 KG/M(2); P < .01). FREQUENCY OF YOGA WAS INVERSELY ASSOCIATED WITH WEIGHT GAIN AMONG BOTH OVERWEIGHT AND NONOVERWEIGHT YOUNG ADULTS PRACTICING YOGA REGULARLY. CONCLUSIONS: YOUNG ADULTS OF DIFFERENT BODY SIZES PRACTICE YOGA. YOGA WAS ASSOCIATED WITH LESS WEIGHT GAIN OVER TIME, PARTICULARLY IN OVERWEIGHT YOUNG ADULTS. PRACTICING YOGA ON A REGULAR BASIS MAY HELP WITH WEIGHT GAIN PREVENTION. 2017 11 363 25 ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN YOGA/MEDITATION USE, BODY SATISFACTION, AND WEIGHT MANAGEMENT METHODS: RESULTS OF A NATIONAL CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY OF 8009 AUSTRALIAN WOMEN. OBJECTIVES: TO ANALYZE WHETHER YOGA OR MEDITATION USE IS ASSOCIATED WITH BODY (DIS)SATISFACTION AND WEIGHT CONTROL METHODS IN AUSTRALIAN WOMEN. METHODS: WOMEN AGES 34 TO 39 Y FROM THE AUSTRALIAN LONGITUDINAL STUDY ON WOMEN'S HEALTH WERE SURVEYED REGARDING BODY SATISFACTION, WEIGHT CONTROL BEHAVIORS, AND YOGA AND MEDITATION PRACTICE. ASSOCIATIONS OF BODY SATISFACTION AND WEIGHT CONTROL METHODS WITH YOGA/MEDITATION PRACTICE WERE ANALYZED USING CHI-SQUARED TESTS AND MULTIPLE LOGISTIC REGRESSION MODELLING. RESULTS: OF THE 8009 WOMEN, 49% WERE OVERWEIGHT OR OBESE. SIXTY-FIVE PERCENT OF WOMEN WITH NORMAL BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) AND APPROXIMATELY 95% OF WOMEN WITH OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY WANTED TO LOSE WEIGHT. AT LEAST ONE IN FOUR WOMEN WITH NORMAL BMI WAS DISSATISFIED WITH BODY WEIGHT AND SHAPE, AS WERE MORE THAN TWO IN THREE WOMEN WITH OVERWEIGHT/OBESITY. THE MOST COMMON WEIGHT CONTROL METHODS INCLUDED EXERCISING (82.7%), CUTTING DOWN MEAL SIZES (76.8%), AND CUTTING DOWN SUGARS OR FATS (71.9%). YOGA/MEDITATION WAS PRACTICED FREQUENTLY BY 688 WOMEN (8.6%) AND OCCASIONALLY BY 1176 WOMEN (14.7%). YOGA/MEDITATION USERS WITH NORMAL BMI WERE LESS LIKELY DISSATISFIED WITH BODY WEIGHT AND SHAPE. ALL YOGA/MEDITATION USERS MORE LIKELY EXERCISED AND FOLLOWED A LOW GLYCEMIC DIET OR DIET BOOKS; AND WOMEN WITH OBESITY OCCASIONALLY USING YOGA/MEDITATION ALSO MORE LIKELY USED FASTING OR SMOKING TO LOSE WEIGHT. CONCLUSION: YOGA/MEDITATION USERS WITH NORMAL BMI APPEAR TO BE MORE SATISFIED WITH THEIR BODY WEIGHT AND SHAPE THAN NON-YOGA/MEDITATION USERS. WHILE WOMEN WITH NORMAL BMI OR OVERWEIGHT TEND TO RELY ON HEALTHY WEIGHT CONTROL METHODS, WOMEN WITH OBESITY OCCASIONAL USING YOGA/MEDITATION MAY MORE LIKELY UTILIZE UNHEALTHY WEIGHT CONTROL METHODS. 2017 12 2278 20 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. ENGAGING IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR THE IMMEDIATE INTERNAL EXPERIENCES IT BRINGS (E.G., PLEASURE, SATISFACTION) IS CRITICAL FOR LONG-TERM EXERCISE ADHERENCE. INVESTIGATIONS OF HOW FACTORS SUCH AS BODY IMAGE CONTRIBUTE TO INTRINSIC MOTIVATION FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ARE NEEDED. THE PRESENT STUDY EXAMINED BODY SURVEILLANCE AND BODY APPRECIATION AS MEDIATORS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SELF-COMPASSION AND INTRINSIC MOTIVATION FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY CROSS-SECTIONALLY AND PROSPECTIVELY. ONE SAMPLE OF COLLEGE WOMEN COMPLETED MEASURES OF STUDY VARIABLES AT ONE TIME POINT (SAMPLE 1; N = 269, MAGE = 19.96) AND A SECOND SAMPLE DID SO DURING WEEKS 1, 8, AND 16 WHILE PARTICIPATING IN A 16-WEEK YOGA COURSE (SAMPLE 2; N = 323, MAGE = 20.31). IN SAMPLE 1, LATENT VARIABLE STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING SUPPORTED BODY APPRECIATION AS A MEDIATOR BETWEEN SELF-COMPASSION AND INTRINSIC MOTIVATION FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. IN SAMPLE 2, LATENT GROWTH CURVE ANALYSES REVEALED THAT CHANGE IN SELF-COMPASSION PREDICTED CHANGES IN BODY SURVEILLANCE AND BODY APPRECIATION IN EXPECTED DIRECTIONS. FURTHER, CHANGE IN BODY APPRECIATION POSITIVELY PREDICTED CHANGE IN INTRINSIC MOTIVATION. TARGETING SELF-COMPASSION AND BODY APPRECIATION MAY HELP SUPPORT WOMEN'S INTRINSIC MOTIVATION FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. 2019 13 1662 22 NATIONAL SURVEY OF YOGA PRACTITIONERS: MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH BENEFITS. OBJECTIVES: TO DESCRIBE YOGA PRACTICE AND HEALTH CHARACTERISTICS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO PRACTICE YOGA, AND TO EXPLORE THEIR BELIEFS REGARDING THE EFFECTS OF THEIR YOGA PRACTICE ON THEIR HEALTH. DESIGN: A CROSS-SECTIONAL DESIGN WITH ANONYMOUS ONLINE SURVEYS. SETTING: 4307 RANDOMLY SELECTED INDIVIDUALS FROM 15 US IYENGAR YOGA STUDIOS (N=18,160), REPRESENTING 41 STATES; 1087 INDIVIDUALS RESPONDED, WITH 1045 (24.3%) SURVEYS COMPLETED. OUTCOME MEASURES: FREIBERG MINDFULNESS INVENTORY, MENTAL HEALTH CONTINUUM (SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING), MULTI-FACTOR SCREENER (DIET), PROMIS SLEEP DISTURBANCE, FATIGUE, AND SOCIAL SUPPORT, INTERNATIONAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY QUESTIONNAIRE. RESULTS: AGE: 19-87 YEARS (M=51.7 +/- 11.7), 84.2% FEMALE, 89.2% WHITE, 87.4% WELL EDUCATED (>/= BACHELOR'S DEGREE). MEAN YEARS OF YOGA PRACTICE=11.4 (+/- 7.5). BMI=12.1-49.4 (M=23.1 +/- 3.9). LEVELS OF OBESITY (4.9%), SMOKING (2%), AND FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CONSUMPTION (M=6.1 +/- 1.1) WERE FAVORABLE COMPARED TO NATIONAL NORMS. 60% REPORTED AT LEAST ONE CHRONIC/SERIOUS HEALTH CONDITION, YET MOST REPORTED VERY GOOD (46.3%) OR EXCELLENT (38.8%) GENERAL HEALTH. DESPITE HIGH LEVELS OF DEPRESSION (24.8%), NEARLY ALL WERE MODERATELY MENTALLY HEALTHY (55.2%) OR FLOURISHING (43.8%). PARTICIPANTS AGREED YOGA IMPROVED: ENERGY (84.5%), HAPPINESS (86.5%), SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS (67%), SLEEP (68.5%), AND WEIGHT (57.3%), AND BELIEFS DID NOT DIFFER SUBSTANTIALLY ACCORDING TO RACE OR GENDER. THE MORE THEY PRACTICED YOGA, WHETHER IN YEARS OR IN AMOUNT OF CLASS OR HOME PRACTICE, THE HIGHER THEIR ODDS OF BELIEVING YOGA IMPROVED THEIR HEALTH. CONCLUSIONS: INDIVIDUALS WHO PRACTICE YOGA ARE NOT FREE OF HEALTH CONCERNS, BUT MOST BELIEVE THEIR HEALTH IMPROVED BECAUSE OF YOGA. YOGA MIGHT BE BENEFICIAL FOR A NUMBER OF POPULATIONS INCLUDING ELDERLY WOMEN AND THOSE WITH CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS. 2013 14 1979 34 SLEEP DISORDER, GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS AND BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS SEEN IN AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER CHILDREN AND YOGA AS THERAPY: A DESCRIPTIVE REVIEW. AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER (ASD) IS A COMPLEX NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER WITH DEFICIENCIES IN MANY DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES DURING THE INFANTILE CHILDHOOD. RECENT RESEARCHES HAVE SHOWN THAT APART FROM BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS, THE ASD CHILDREN ALSO SUFFER FROM PHYSIOLOGICAL CONDITIONS SUCH AS DISTURBED SLEEP AND GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS THAT COULD BE THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THEIR DAYTIME BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS. LOTS OF PARENTS HAVE EXPRESSED THAT, LACK OF SLEEP AMONG THE CHILDREN HAVE RESULTED IN HIGH LEVELS OF STRESS AMONG THE FAMILY MEMBERS PARTICULARLY AMONG THE IMMEDIATE CARETAKERS WHICH ARE IN MOST CASES THE MOTHER OF THE CHILD. EARLY BEHAVIOUR INTERVENTION IS A NORM FOR ASD CHILDREN WHICH MAINLY AFFECT THE PSYCHOLOGICAL LEVEL. THROUGH THIS PAPER, AN EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE TO STUDY THE CONTRIBUTIONS MADE BY YOGA IN ORDER TO MITIGATE SUCH PROBLEMS. YOGA IS A NON-INVASIVE AND ALTERNATIVE THERAPY THAT BRINGS CHANGE IN BOTH PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL LEVEL OF AN INDIVIDUAL. HIGH LEVELS OF STRESS AMONG THE CARETAKERS OF THESE CHILDREN COULD MAKE THEM SUSCEPTIBLE TO NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES SUCH AS HYPERTENSION, DIABETES, ARTHRITIS ETC. PARENTAL BASED YOGA INTERVENTION CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE FOR BOTH CHILDREN AND PARENTS AND SUBSEQUENTLY TO THE ENTIRE FAMILY. 2016 15 1521 34 ISHA YOGA PRACTICES AND PARTICIPATION IN SAMYAMA PROGRAM ARE ASSOCIATED WITH REDUCED HBA1C AND SYSTEMIC INFLAMMATION, IMPROVED LIPID PROFILE, AND SHORT-TERM AND SUSTAINED IMPROVEMENT IN MENTAL HEALTH: A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY OF MEDITATORS. BACKGROUND: MEDITATION IS GAINING RECOGNITION AS A TOOL TO IMPACT HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. SAMYAMA IS AN 8-DAY INTENSIVE RESIDENTIAL MEDITATION EXPERIENCE CONDUCTED BY ISHA FOUNDATION REQUIRING SEVERAL MONTHS OF EXTENSIVE PREPARATION AND VEGAN DIET. THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF SAMYAMA HAVE NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY STUDIED. THE OBJECTIVE WAS TO ASSESS PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING BEFORE AND AFTER SAMYAMA PARTICIPATION BY EVALUATING PSYCHOLOGICAL SURVEYS AND OBJECTIVE HEALTH BIOMARKERS. METHODS: THIS WAS AN OBSERVATIONAL STUDY OF 632 ADULTS BEFORE AND AFTER THE ISHA SAMYAMA RETREAT. ALL PARTICIPANTS WERE INVITED TO COMPLETE SURVEYS. CONTROLS INCLUDED HOUSEHOLD SIGNIFICANT OTHERS. SURVEYS WERE COMPLETED AT BASELINE (T1), JUST BEFORE SAMYAMA (T2), IMMEDIATELY AFTER SAMYAMA (T3), AND 3 MONTHS LATER (T4) TO ASSESS ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, MINDFULNESS, JOY, VITALITY, AND RESILIENCE THROUGH VALIDATED PSYCHOMETRIC SCALES. VOLUNTARY BLOOD SAMPLING FOR BIOMARKER ANALYSIS WAS DONE TO ASSESS HEMOGLOBIN (HB), HBA1C, LIPID PROFILE, AND C-REACTIVE PROTEIN (CRP). PRIMARY OUTCOMES WERE CHANGES IN PSYCHOMETRIC SCORES, BODY WEIGHT, AND BLOOD BIOMARKERS. RESULTS: DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY SCORES DECREASED FROM T1 TO T3, WITH THE EFFECT MOST PRONOUNCED IN PARTICIPANTS WITH BASELINE DEPRESSION OR ANXIETY. SCORES AT T4 REMAINED BELOW BASELINE FOR THOSE WITH PRE-EXISTING DEPRESSION OR ANXIETY. VITALITY, RESILIENCE, JOY, AND MINDFULNESS INCREASED FROM T1 TO T3 (SUSTAINED AT T4). BODY WEIGHT DECREASED BY 3% FROM T1 TO T3. TRIGLYCERIDES (TG) WERE LOWER FROM T2 TO T3. PARTICIPANTS HAD LOWER HBA1C AND HDL AT T2, AND LOWER CRP AT ALL TIMEPOINTS COMPARED WITH CONTROLS. CONCLUSIONS: PARTICIPATION IN THE ISHA SAMYAMA PROGRAM LED TO MULTIPLE BENEFITS. THE 2-MONTH PREPARATION REDUCED ANXIETY, AND PARTICIPANTS MAINTAINED LOWER ANXIETY LEVELS AT 3 MONTHS POST-RETREAT. PHYSICAL HEALTH IMPROVED OVER THE COURSE OF THE PROGRAM AS EVIDENCED BY WEIGHT LOSS AND IMPROVED HBA1C AND LIPID PROFILE. PRACTICES ASSOCIATED WITH THE SAMYAMA PREPARATION PHASE AND THE RETREAT MAY SERVE AS AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO IMPROVE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH. FUTURE STUDIES MAY EXAMINE THEIR USE AS AN ALTERNATIVE THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH DEPRESSION AND/OR ANXIETY. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: WWW.CLINICALTRIALS.GOV, IDENTIFIER: 1801728792. REGISTERED RETROSPECTIVELY ON 4/17/2020. 2021 16 2751 27 YOGA PRACTICE IS ASSOCIATED WITH ATTENUATED WEIGHT GAIN IN HEALTHY, MIDDLE-AGED MEN AND WOMEN. BACKGROUND: YOGA IS PROMOTED OR WEIGHT MAINTENANCE, BUT THERE IS LITTLE EVIDENCE OF ITS EFFICACY. OBJECTIVE: TO EXAMINE WHETHER YOGA PRACTICE IS ASSOCIATED WITH LOWER MEAN 10-YEAR WEIGHT GAIN AFTER AGE 45. PARTICIPANTS: PARTICIPANTS INCLUDED 15,550 ADULTS, AGED 53 TO 57 YEARS, RECRUITED TO THE VITAMIN AND LIFESTYLE (VITAL) COHORT STUDY BETWEEN 2000 AND 2002. MEASUREMENTS: PHYSICAL ACTIVITY (INCLUDING YOGA) DURING THE PAST 10 YEARS, DIET, HEIGHT, AND WEIGHT AT RECRUITMENT AND AT AGES 30 AND 45. ALL MEASURES WERE BASED ON SELF-REPORTING, AND PAST WEIGHT WAS RETROSPECTIVELY ASCERTAINED. METHODS: MULTIPLE REGRESSION ANALYSES WERE USED TO EXAMINED COVARIATE-ADJUSTED ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN YOGA PRACTICE AND WEIGHT CHANGE FROM AGE 45 TO RECRUITMENT, AND POLYCHOTOMOUS LOGISTIC REGRESSION WAS USED TO EXAMINE ASSOCIATIONS OF YOGA PRACTICE WITH THE RELATIVE ODDS OF WEIGHT MAINTENANCE (WITHIN 5%) AND WEIGHT LOSS (> 5%) COMPARED TO WEIGHT GAIN. RESULTS: YOGA PRACTICE FOR FOUR OR MORE YEARS WAS ASSOCIATED WITH A 3.1-LB LOWER WEIGHT GAIN AMONG NORMAL WEIGHT (BMI < 25) PARTICIPANTS [9.5 LBS VERSUS 12.6 IBS] AND AN 18.5-LB LOWER WEIGHT GAIN AMONG OVERWEIGHT PARTICIPANTS [-5.0 LBS VERSUS 13.5 IBS] (BOTH P FOR TREND <.001). AMONG OVERWEIGHT INDIVIDUALS, 4+ YEARS OF YOGA PRACTICE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH A RELATIVE ODDS OF 1.85 (95% CONFIDENCE INTERVAL [CI] 0.63-5.42) FOR WEIGHT MAINTENANCE (WITHIN 5%) AND 3.88 (95% CL 1.30-9.88) FOR WEIGHT LOSS (> 5%) COMPARED TO WEIGHT GAIN (P FOR TREND .026 AND .003, RESPECTIVELY). CONCLUSIONS: REGULAR YOGA PRACTICE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH ATTENUATED WEIGHT GAIN, MOST STRONGLY AMONG INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE OVERWEIGHT. ALTHOUGH CAUSAL INFERENCE FROM THIS OBSERVATIONAL STUDY IS NOT POSSIBLE, RESULTS ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE HYPOTHESIS THAT REGULAR YOGA PRACTICE CAN BENEFIT INDIVIDUALS WHO WISH TO MAINTAIN OR LOSE WEIGHT. 2005 17 1949 33 SCHOOL-BASED YOGA INTERVENTION INCREASES ADOLESCENT RESILIENCE: A PILOT TRIAL. BACKGROUND: YOUTH OFTEN EXPERIENCE STRESSORS LEADING TO NEGATIVE LONG-TERM OUTCOMES. ENHANCING SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL ATTRIBUTES IS IMPORTANT TO FOSTER RESILIENCY TO FACE THESE CHALLENGES. YOGA MAY ENHANCE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL RESILIENCY AMONG YOUTH. HOWEVER, RESEARCH REPLICATING SUCH RESULTS IN SCHOOL-SETTINGS IS LIMITED. THIS RESEARCH DETAILS AN INVESTIGATION OF THE EFFECTS OF THE KRIPALU YOGA IN THE SCHOOLS (KYIS) INTERVENTION INTEGRATED INTO A PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASS AMONG A RACIALLY/ETHNICALLY DIVERSE STUDENT POPULATION. METHOD: MIDDLE SCHOOL SIXTH GRADE STUDENTS (N = 23 STUDENTS; 52% FEMALE; MEAN AGE = 12.1 YEARS) WERE EITHER ENROLLED IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASS THAT INCLUDED KYIS (N = 9), OR WERE ENROLLED IN ART AND MUSIC (CONTROL CONDITION; N = 14). TO EVALUATE EFFECTS ON STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS, SELF-REPORT QUESTIONNAIRES OF SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE AND PROBLEM BEHAVIOUR WERE ADMINISTERED PRE- AND POST-DELIVERY OF THE CURRICULUM. RESULTS: STUDENTS RECEIVING THE INTERVENTION INCREASED IN SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE OVER TIME RELATIVE TO THE CONTROL CONDITION. ALTHOUGH PROMISING, RESULTS SHOULD BE INTERPRETED WITH CAUTION, AS STUDENTS WHO RECEIVED THE YOGA INTERVENTION SCORED SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER ON SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE THAN STUDENTS IN THE CONTROL GROUP AT PRE-INTERVENTION MEASUREMENT TIME POINT. CONCLUSIONS: YOGA MAY IMPROVE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL COMPETENCE AMONG YOUTH AND FUTURE RESEARCH SHOULD EXPLORE THE UTILITY OF YOGA CURRICULA IN SCHOOL SETTINGS. 2020 18 1832 28 PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING, HEALTH BEHAVIORS, AND WEIGHT LOSS AMONG PARTICIPANTS IN A RESIDENTIAL, KRIPALU YOGA-BASED WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM. UNLABELLED: THE INCREASING PREVALENCE OF OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY IN HUMANS IS A GROWING PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERN IN THE UNITED STATES. CONCOMITANTS INCLUDE POOR HEALTH BEHAVIORS AND REDUCED PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING. PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE SUGGESTS YOGA AND TREATMENT PARADIGMS INCORPORATING MINDFULNESS, SELF-COMPASSION (SC), ACCEPTANCE, NON-DIETING, AND INTUITIVE EATING MAY IMPROVE THESE ANCILLARY CORRELATES, WHICH MAY PROMOTE LONG-TERM WEIGHT LOSS. METHODS: WE EXPLORED THE IMPACT OF A 5-DAY RESIDENTIAL WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM, WHICH WAS MULTIFACETED AND BASED ON KRIPALU YOGA, ON HEALTH BEHAVIORS, WEIGHT LOSS, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING IN OVERWEIGHT/OBESE INDIVIDUALS. THIRTY-SEVEN OVERWEIGHT/OBESE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS (AGE 32-65, BMI<25) COMPLETED VALIDATED MIND-FULNESS, SC, LIFESTYLE BEHAVIOR, AND MOOD QUESTIONNAIRES AT BASELINE, POST-PROGRAM, AND 3-MONTH FOLLOW-UP AND REPORTED THEIR WEIGHT 1 YEAR AFTER PROGRAM COMPLETION. RESULTS: SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN NUTRITION BEHAVIORS, SC, MINDFULNESS, STRESS MANAGEMENT, AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH WERE OBSERVED IMMEDIATELY POST-PROGRAM (N = 31, 84% RETENTION), WITH MEDIUM TO LARGE EFFECT SIZES. AT 3-MONTH FOLLOW-UP (N = 18, 49% RETENTION), MOST CHANGES PERSISTED. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND MOOD DISTURBANCE HAD IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY POST-PROGRAM BUT FAILED TO REACH SIGNIFICANCE AT 3-MONTH FOLLOW-UP. SELF-REPORT WEIGHT LOSS AT 1 YEAR (N = 19, 51% RETENTION) WAS SIGNIFICANT. CONCLUSION: THESE FINDINGS SUGGEST A KRIPALU YOGA-BASED, RESIDENTIAL WEIGHT LOSS PROGRAM MAY FOSTER PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING, IMPROVED NUTRITION BEHAVIORS, AND WEIGHT LOSS. GIVEN THE EXPLORATORY NATURE OF THIS INVESTIGATION, MORE RIGOROUS WORK IN THIS AREA IS WARRANTED. 2012 19 1908 43 REVIEW: YOGA AND MINDFULNESS FOR YOUTH WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER: REVIEW OF THE CURRENT EVIDENCE. BACKGROUND: YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED PROGRAMS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY POPULAR AS A SUPPLEMENTAL INTERVENTION FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS (ASD). INCREASING NUMBERS OF CHILDREN, PARENTS, AND SCHOOLS ARE PARTICIPATING IN PROGRAMS AROUND THE COUNTRY WITH AN ENTHUSIASM THAT FAR EXCEEDS THE RESEARCH SUPPORT FOR THEIR EFFICACY. THERAPIES THAT ARE SAFE BUT NOT EFFECTIVE MAY NOT CAUSE IMMEDIATE HARM. NEVERTHELESS, THE MISAPPROPRIATION OF LIMITED TIME AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES MAY RESULT IN MISSED OPPORTUNITIES. THE NEED FOR CLEARLY DEFINED, EVIDENCE-BASED THERAPIES FOR YOUTH WITH ASD IS ESSENTIAL. METHOD: ELECTRONIC DATABASES WERE SEARCHED FOR PEER-REVIEWED INTERVENTION RESEARCH STUDIES USING THE KEY WORDS AUTISTIC OR AUTISM IN COMBINATION WITH YOGA, MINDFULNESS, OR MEDITATION. EIGHT STUDIES MET INCLUSION CRITERIA. RESULTS: THE FINDINGS ARE DESCRIBED IN THIS CRITICAL REVIEW OF EIGHT EMPIRICAL RESEARCH STUDIES THAT IMPLEMENTED YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS FOR CHILDREN WITH ASD. ALTHOUGH FEW STUDIES REPORTED IMPROVEMENTS IN CORE SYMPTOMS OF ASD, PRELIMINARY FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS ARE FEASIBLE AND MAY IMPROVE A VARIETY OF PROSOCIAL BEHAVIORS, INCLUDING COMMUNICATION AND IMITATIVE BEHAVIORS; INCREASED TOLERANCE OF SITTING AND OF ADULT PROXIMITY; SELF-CONTROL; QUALITY OF LIFE; AND SOCIAL RESPONSIVENESS, SOCIAL COMMUNICATION, SOCIAL COGNITION, PREOCCUPATIONS, AND SOCIAL MOTIVATION. REDUCTIONS IN AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIORS, IRRITABILITY, LETHARGY, SOCIAL WITHDRAWAL, AND NONCOMPLIANCE WERE ALSO REPORTED. CONCLUSIONS: BASED ON THE AVAILABLE LITERATURE, THE EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE EFFICACY OF YOGA AND MINDFULNESS-BASED INTERVENTIONS FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH ASD IS INCONCLUSIVE. THE CURRENT BODY OF RESEARCH HAS SIGNIFICANT LIMITATIONS, INCLUDING SMALL SAMPLE SIZES, NO FIDELITY MEASURES, AND NO CONTROL GROUPS. EACH OF THE EIGHT STUDIES, HOWEVER, REPORTED SOME POSITIVE EFFECTS ON SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, OR BEHAVIORAL METRICS. THESE EARLY RESULTS ARE PROMISING AND SUFFICIENT TO WARRANT SUPPORT FOR FURTHER RESEARCH. 2019 20 1127 29 EFFICACY OF THE GET READY TO LEARN YOGA PROGRAM AMONG CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS: A PRETEST-POSTTEST CONTROL GROUP DESIGN. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS USE SCHOOL-BASED YOGA PROGRAMS, BUT THESE INTERVENTIONS TYPICALLY LACK MANUALIZATION AND EVIDENCE FROM WELL-DESIGNED STUDIES. USING AN EXPERIMENTAL PRETEST-POSTTEST CONTROL GROUP DESIGN, WE EXAMINED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE GET READY TO LEARN (GRTL) CLASSROOM YOGA PROGRAM AMONG CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS (ASD). THE INTERVENTION GROUP RECEIVED THE MANUALIZED YOGA PROGRAM DAILY FOR 16 WK, AND THE CONTROL GROUP ENGAGED IN THEIR STANDARD MORNING ROUTINE. WE ASSESSED CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS WITH STANDARDIZED MEASURES AND BEHAVIOR CODING BEFORE AND AFTER INTERVENTION. WE COMPLETED A BETWEEN-GROUPS ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE TO ASSESS DIFFERENCES IN GAIN SCORES ON THE DEPENDENT VARIABLES. STUDENTS IN THE GRTL PROGRAM SHOWED SIGNIFICANT DECREASES (P < .05) IN TEACHER RATINGS OF MALADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR, AS MEASURED WITH THE ABERRANT BEHAVIOR CHECKLIST, COMPARED WITH THE CONTROL PARTICIPANTS. THIS STUDY DEMONSTRATES THAT USE OF DAILY CLASSROOMWIDE YOGA INTERVENTIONS HAS A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON KEY CLASSROOM BEHAVIORS AMONG CHILDREN WITH ASD. 2012