Korean J Geriatr Gerontol.  2020 Jun;21(1):32-38. 10.15656/kjcg.2020.21.1.32.

The Effect of Yoga on Quality of Life in Women with Metabolic Syndrome: An Exploratory Pilot Study

• An JY
• Eun Y
• Kim HN
• Song SW
• Lee YA
• Kang SG

• KMID: 2566426
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.15656/kjcg.2020.21.1.32

Abstract

Background
South Korea is one of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries with the longest working hours. This means that people do not spend a lot of time engaging in health activities. The purpose of this study was to investigate how yoga exercise twice a week affects the quality of life of women with metabolic syndrome in South Korea.
Methods
Participants were assigned to either a yoga exercise group (n=17) or a control group (n=20). The yoga exercise group underwent exercise twice a week for 60 minutes, for a duration of 3 months. The quality of life of both groups was assessed using the EuroQoL-5 Dimension (EQ-5D) and the EuroQoL Visual Analog Scale (EQ-VAS).
Results
EQ-VAS scores tended to increase in the yoga group compared to the control group (yoga group 76.29±13.10, control group 70.50±15.21, P=0.064), but the difference between the groups was not statistically significant. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant difference in EQ-5D scores (yoga group 0.88±0.10, control group 0.91±0.07, P=0.762) between the two groups when we compared quality of life before and after the yoga exercise program.
Conclusion
Short-term intermittent yoga exercises, which lasted 1 hour and were performed twice a week for 3 months, performed in a group of female patients with metabolic syndrome did not lead to statistically significant changes in quality of life indices or metabolic syndrome indicators. Further studies including more frequent yoga exercise over longer periods of time are needed to establish the exact effect of yoga on quality of life in women with metabolic syndrome.

Keyword

Metabolic syndrome; Quality of life; Yoga