Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial of Yoga in the Treatment of Eating Disorders

T. Rain Carei; Amber L. Fyfe-Johnson; Cora C. Breuner; Margaret A. Brown

doi:10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.08.007

Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial of Yoga in the Treatment of Eating Disorders

T. Rain Carei, Amber L. Fyfe-Johnson, Cora C. Breuner, Margaret A. Brown

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

152 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose: This was a pilot project designed to assess the effect of individualized yoga treatment on eating disorder outcomes among adolescents receiving outpatient care for diagnosed eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, eating disorder not otherwise specified). Methods: A total of 50 girls and 4 boys aged 11-21 years were randomized to an 8-week trial of standard care vs. individualized yoga plus standard care. Of these, 27 were randomized to standard care and 26 to yoga plus standard care (attrition: n = 4). Standard care (every other week physician and/or dietician appointments) was required to meet ethical guidelines. The No Yoga group was offered yoga after study completion as an incentive to maintain participation. Outcomes evaluated at baseline, end of trial, and 1-month follow-up included Eating Disorder Examination (EDE), Body Mass Index (BMI), Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Food Preoccupation questionnaire. Results: The Yoga group demonstrated greater decreases in eating disorder symptoms. Specifically, the EDE scores decreased over time in the Yoga group, whereas the No Yoga group showed some initial decline but then returned to baseline EDE levels at week 12. Food preoccupation was measured before and after each yoga session, and decreased significantly after all sessions. Both groups maintained current BMI levels and decreased in anxiety and depression over time. Conclusions: Individualized yoga treatment decreased EDE scores at 12 weeks, and significantly reduced food preoccupation immediately after yoga sessions. Yoga treatment did not have a negative effect on BMI. Results suggest that individualized yoga therapy holds promise as adjunctive therapy to standard care.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	346-351
Number of pages	6
Journal	Journal of Adolescent Health
Volume	46
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.08.007
State	Published - Apr 2010
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors thank everyone who contributed significantly to this work. The authors thank all the patients and families for their time; Jay Uomoto, PhD, who provided review and analysis of study design; Melissa Parks, BA, and Shannon Albert, BA, who completed data entry and coding; and Whole Life Yoga studio, which provided consultation and yoga instructors. This work was supported by a generous gift from Newman, the Complementary Alternative Medicine Grant, and by Grant Number UL1 RR025014-1 from the National Center for Research Resources, a component of the National Institutes of Health . Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the National Center for Research Resources or the National Institutes of Health.

Keywords

Adolescents
Anorexia nervosa
Anxiety
Bulimia nervosa
Depression
Eating disorder not otherwise specified
Yoga

Access

10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.08.007

OpenUrl availability

Full text

Cite this

@article{3ea0c32ef9f341529bf85d2952a814e5,

title = "Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial of Yoga in the Treatment of Eating Disorders",

abstract = "Purpose: This was a pilot project designed to assess the effect of individualized yoga treatment on eating disorder outcomes among adolescents receiving outpatient care for diagnosed eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, eating disorder not otherwise specified). Methods: A total of 50 girls and 4 boys aged 11-21 years were randomized to an 8-week trial of standard care vs. individualized yoga plus standard care. Of these, 27 were randomized to standard care and 26 to yoga plus standard care (attrition: n = 4). Standard care (every other week physician and/or dietician appointments) was required to meet ethical guidelines. The No Yoga group was offered yoga after study completion as an incentive to maintain participation. Outcomes evaluated at baseline, end of trial, and 1-month follow-up included Eating Disorder Examination (EDE), Body Mass Index (BMI), Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Food Preoccupation questionnaire. Results: The Yoga group demonstrated greater decreases in eating disorder symptoms. Specifically, the EDE scores decreased over time in the Yoga group, whereas the No Yoga group showed some initial decline but then returned to baseline EDE levels at week 12. Food preoccupation was measured before and after each yoga session, and decreased significantly after all sessions. Both groups maintained current BMI levels and decreased in anxiety and depression over time. Conclusions: Individualized yoga treatment decreased EDE scores at 12 weeks, and significantly reduced food preoccupation immediately after yoga sessions. Yoga treatment did not have a negative effect on BMI. Results suggest that individualized yoga therapy holds promise as adjunctive therapy to standard care.",

keywords = "Adolescents, Anorexia nervosa, Anxiety, Bulimia nervosa, Depression, Eating disorder not otherwise specified, Yoga",

author = "Carei, {T. Rain} and Fyfe-Johnson, {Amber L.} and Breuner, {Cora C.} and Brown, {Margaret A.}",

note = "Funding Information: The authors thank everyone who contributed significantly to this work. The authors thank all the patients and families for their time; Jay Uomoto, PhD, who provided review and analysis of study design; Melissa Parks, BA, and Shannon Albert, BA, who completed data entry and coding; and Whole Life Yoga studio, which provided consultation and yoga instructors. This work was supported by a generous gift from Newman, the Complementary Alternative Medicine Grant, and by Grant Number UL1 RR025014-1 from the National Center for Research Resources, a component of the National Institutes of Health . Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the National Center for Research Resources or the National Institutes of Health.",

year = "2010",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.08.007",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "46",

pages = "346--351",

journal = "Journal of Adolescent Health",

issn = "1054-139X",

publisher = "Elsevier USA",

number = "4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial of Yoga in the Treatment of Eating Disorders

AU - Carei, T. Rain

AU - Fyfe-Johnson, Amber L.

AU - Breuner, Cora C.

AU - Brown, Margaret A.

N1 - Funding Information: The authors thank everyone who contributed significantly to this work. The authors thank all the patients and families for their time; Jay Uomoto, PhD, who provided review and analysis of study design; Melissa Parks, BA, and Shannon Albert, BA, who completed data entry and coding; and Whole Life Yoga studio, which provided consultation and yoga instructors. This work was supported by a generous gift from Newman, the Complementary Alternative Medicine Grant, and by Grant Number UL1 RR025014-1 from the National Center for Research Resources, a component of the National Institutes of Health . Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the National Center for Research Resources or the National Institutes of Health.

PY - 2010/4

Y1 - 2010/4

N2 - Purpose: This was a pilot project designed to assess the effect of individualized yoga treatment on eating disorder outcomes among adolescents receiving outpatient care for diagnosed eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, eating disorder not otherwise specified). Methods: A total of 50 girls and 4 boys aged 11-21 years were randomized to an 8-week trial of standard care vs. individualized yoga plus standard care. Of these, 27 were randomized to standard care and 26 to yoga plus standard care (attrition: n = 4). Standard care (every other week physician and/or dietician appointments) was required to meet ethical guidelines. The No Yoga group was offered yoga after study completion as an incentive to maintain participation. Outcomes evaluated at baseline, end of trial, and 1-month follow-up included Eating Disorder Examination (EDE), Body Mass Index (BMI), Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Food Preoccupation questionnaire. Results: The Yoga group demonstrated greater decreases in eating disorder symptoms. Specifically, the EDE scores decreased over time in the Yoga group, whereas the No Yoga group showed some initial decline but then returned to baseline EDE levels at week 12. Food preoccupation was measured before and after each yoga session, and decreased significantly after all sessions. Both groups maintained current BMI levels and decreased in anxiety and depression over time. Conclusions: Individualized yoga treatment decreased EDE scores at 12 weeks, and significantly reduced food preoccupation immediately after yoga sessions. Yoga treatment did not have a negative effect on BMI. Results suggest that individualized yoga therapy holds promise as adjunctive therapy to standard care.

AB - Purpose: This was a pilot project designed to assess the effect of individualized yoga treatment on eating disorder outcomes among adolescents receiving outpatient care for diagnosed eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, eating disorder not otherwise specified). Methods: A total of 50 girls and 4 boys aged 11-21 years were randomized to an 8-week trial of standard care vs. individualized yoga plus standard care. Of these, 27 were randomized to standard care and 26 to yoga plus standard care (attrition: n = 4). Standard care (every other week physician and/or dietician appointments) was required to meet ethical guidelines. The No Yoga group was offered yoga after study completion as an incentive to maintain participation. Outcomes evaluated at baseline, end of trial, and 1-month follow-up included Eating Disorder Examination (EDE), Body Mass Index (BMI), Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, and Food Preoccupation questionnaire. Results: The Yoga group demonstrated greater decreases in eating disorder symptoms. Specifically, the EDE scores decreased over time in the Yoga group, whereas the No Yoga group showed some initial decline but then returned to baseline EDE levels at week 12. Food preoccupation was measured before and after each yoga session, and decreased significantly after all sessions. Both groups maintained current BMI levels and decreased in anxiety and depression over time. Conclusions: Individualized yoga treatment decreased EDE scores at 12 weeks, and significantly reduced food preoccupation immediately after yoga sessions. Yoga treatment did not have a negative effect on BMI. Results suggest that individualized yoga therapy holds promise as adjunctive therapy to standard care.

KW - Adolescents

KW - Anorexia nervosa

KW - Anxiety

KW - Bulimia nervosa

KW - Depression

KW - Eating disorder not otherwise specified

KW - Yoga

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77949487711&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=77949487711&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.08.007

DO - 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.08.007

M3 - Article

C2 - 20307823

AN - SCOPUS:77949487711

SN - 1054-139X

VL - 46

SP - 346

EP - 351

JO - Journal of Adolescent Health

JF - Journal of Adolescent Health

IS - 4

ER -

Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial of Yoga in the Treatment of Eating Disorders

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access

OpenUrl availability

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this