Efficacy of a 4-week yogic lifestyle education for promoting holistic health in Indian school adolescents

Abstract

Context: Need for yogic lifestyle education in schools is being recognized eloquently. However, effectiveness of yogic lifestyle for enhancing adolescent health in schools remains partially or minimally attempted. Aims: To examine the relevance of yogic lifestyle education in improving holistic aspects of adolescent health in schools. Method: A four week field experiment was conducted among a sample of 100 students enrolled in a residential school located in a semi-urban setting by using a 2 (control and intervention group) ×2 (male and female students) ×2 (pre and post-test) factorial design. Standardized self-report adolescent health questionnaires were used before and after yogic lifestyle education to assess its holistic effects. Results: ANOVA was used to analyze efficacy of yogic lifestyle education in promoting different aspects of adolescent health. Results revealed that yogic lifestyle education group participants' responses displayed significantly greater enhancement on a variety of self-reported positive health outcomes and a reduction on different negative health outcomes than the control group participants. Conclusions: Yogic lifestyle education programme has promising potential to not only reduce health problems but also enhance positive aspects of health in school going adolescents.

Keywords

• adolescents
• dietary habits
• self-reported health
• sleep
• yoga
• lifestyle