Body composition and psychophysical well-being of women practicing yoga

Aneta OMELAN, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Faculty of Geoengineering, Department of Tourism, Recreation and Ecology, Olsztyn, PolandFollow
Justyna WIŚNIEWSKA, Student Research Organization “Voyager”, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Faculty of Geoengineering, Department of Tourism, Recreation and Ecology, Olsztyn, Poland
Robert PODSTAWSKI, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Faculty of Geoengineering, Department of Tourism, Recreation and Ecology, Olsztyn, PolandFollow

Abstract

Introduction: This study characterized yoga as a form of free-time physical activity by analyzing and evaluating the body composition of women who regularly practice yoga, and by describing the effect of yoga on their psychophysical health. Material and Methods: The study involved 94 women: 56 yoga practitioners and 38 Zumba participants. The subjects were surveyed with a questionnaire to elicit information about their socioeconomic status. Body composition was determined by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Differences were assessed with two-tailed chi-square tests and Student’s t-tests. Results: The vast majority of the participants (89%) felt a positive influence of yoga on their mental well-being; 86% noticed an improvement in physical health. More than half of the subjects adhered to a diet; those who practiced yoga chose vegetarian (29%) and vegan (13%) diets more often than those who did Zumba. Yoga participants had a higher BMI than Zumba participants (24.19 vs. 23.43), but they had a lower percentage of fat (28.84% vs. 29.89%) and higher fat free mass (47.08 kg vs. 44.13 kg). Conclusions: Yoga practice positively affects the psychophysical well-being of women. Despite their higher BMI, yoga practitioners had a slightly more favorable body composition, which may indicate that yoga positively affects individual body components and body shape.

Recommended Citation

Omelan A, Wisniewska J, Podstawski R. Body composition and psychophysical well-being of women practicing yoga. Balt J Health Phys Act. 2022;14(3):Article4. https://doi.org/10.29359/BJHPA.14.3.04