Adherence to yoga and its resultant effects on blood glucose in Type 2 diabetes: A community-based follow-up study

AIM: To study the adherence to yoga and its effects on blood glucose parameters in patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. METHODS: A single group longitudinal study over 6 months was conducted at VASK yoga centre, Bangalore. Fasting Blood Sugar, Post Prandial Blood Sugar Levels and Glycosylated Hemoglobin and qualitative in-depth interview of the participants and therapist was conducted at baseline, end of 3(rd) month and end of 6 months; intermediate observations was conducted at the end of every month. RESULTS: Adherence to yoga in the community in Bangalore is around 50% over 6 months. Participants who completed the yoga programme had significantly lower HbA1c (end of 3(rd) month). At the end of 6 months yoga adherence was significantly negatively correlated with FBS and stress. Further there was a trend towards those who dropped out having higher FBS, controlling for medication intake, stress levels and diet pattern (OR = 1.027, P = 0.07). Qualitative data revealed that most of the participants joined and completed the yoga programme to help cure their diabetes. Participants who dropped out from the yoga programme gave reasons of travel, ill-health and increased work-load at office. CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to yoga has an effect on the blood glucose parameters in diabetes. Hence, strategies to motivate participants to undergo ‘lifestyle modification practices’ including maximizing adherence to yoga should be the focus to experience any beneficial effects of yoga.