Principal Investigator: Professor Tom Yates
Study start date: October 2018
The amount of people with diabetes has now reached over 4 million in the United Kingdom. Type 2 diabetes accounts for the majority of all cases of diabetes and increases the risk of many other diseases, such as heart problems.
Research has shown that individuals from South Asian descent have elevated risk of certain chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The risk of developing these diseases can be reduced by engaging in a healthy lifestyle. One component of a healthy lifestyle is engaging in physical activity. However, previous research from our team has shown that South Asian individuals engage in less physical activity compared to other ethnic groups. It is not yet completely understood why South Asians engage in less physical activity, but it is vitally important to try and find new ways to increase the physical activity levels of people of South Asian descent.
Therefore, we have worked with South Asian communities to identify culturally appropriate forms of physical activity. The main responses were yoga and walking. We want to find out if alternative forms of physical activity, as chosen by South Asian communities, are as effective as traditional forms of physical activity in improving your health. This study will test and compare whether yoga and light intensity walking can be effectively used in the prevention of type 2 diabetes.
Participants will be asked to take part in one session of yoga and one session of light intensity walking. The study will involve 6 visits to the Leicester Diabetes Centre at Leicester General Hospital. The study is being run by a multi-disciplinary team of clinicians and researchers with a specific interest in helping individuals engage in a healthier lifestyle.
This study is now closed for recruitment.
For more information, please contact the study team on 0116 258 8574 or email yogastudy@leicester.ac.uk
The Yoga Study – Poster – 16.03.18 – v1.0