Interleukin-6, vitamin D & diabetes risk-factors modified by a short-term yoga-based lifestyle intervention in overweight/obese individuals

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Several diabetes prevention programmes have demonstrated a reduction in incidence of diabetes in individuals with prediabetes through weight loss. Short-term yoga-based lifestyle intervention programmes have also been shown to be efficacious in weight loss. This study was undertaken to investigate if interleukin (IL)-6, vitamin D, neopterin, vaspin, and diabetes risk factors can be modified by a short-term yoga-based lifestyle intervention in overweight/obese subjects. METHODS: In this pilot study, 34 overweight/obese [body mass index (BMI) ≥23 to <35 kg/m(2) per Asian cut-off values] individuals were enrolled, and received directly supervised intervention for 10 days. Thereafter, they were advised to follow this yoga-based lifestyle at home for one month, and were reassessed for study variables at day 30. RESULTS: There was a reduction from baseline to day 10 in weight (P<0.001), BMI (P<0.001), waist/hip-ratio (P<0.05), blood glucose (P<0.01), and a significant improvement in lipid profile. There was a decrease in median fasting insulin (P<0.05), homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (P<0.01), and IL-6 (P<0.05). A non-significant increase in 25-OH-vitamin D, and a decrease in neopterin and vaspin were observed. Twenty subjects returned for follow up assessments. At day 30, weight loss was sustained while systolic blood pressure also showed reduction (P<0.05). Changes in vitamin D levels were significantly and negatively correlated with changes in weight, BMI and fasting blood glucose, and positively with change in high density lipoprotein. Changes in body weight and BMI significantly and positively correlated with insulin. Changes in IL-6 levels positively and significantly correlated with change in neopterin levels. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: The findings showed that IL-6, vitamin D, and diabetes risk factors were favourably modified by a short-term yoga-based lifestyle intervention in obesity. This study also highlighted the challenges in compliance associated with the follow up of subjects following an aggressive supervised intervention of 10 days.