Yoga for Adults with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review of Controlled Trials
Table 1
Characteristics of eligible studies investigating the effects of yoga-based programs in adults with diabetes (25 controlled trials, including 12 randomized (RCTs) and 13 nonrandomized (NRCTs)).
NRCTs ()
RCTs ()
Total
%
Participant characteristics
Target population: adults with
Type 2 diabetes only
12
12
24
96.0%
Unspecified diabetes
1
0
1
4.0%
One gender only specified
0
2
2
8.0%
Excluding those on DM meds
Yes
2
0
2
8.0%
Not specified
0
1
1
4.0%
Excluding those with DM complications
Yes
9
10
19
76.0%
No
1
1
2
8.0%
Not specified
3
1
4
16.0%
Age range in years
≥18–26
0
3
3
12.0%
30/35–55/60/65
6
2
8
32.0%
40/45–55/60
3
2
5
20.0%
40/45–65/70/75
3
2
5
20.0%
50–70/>60 y
0
2
2
8.0%
Not specified
1
1
2
8.0%
Years since DM diagnosis
≥0-1 year
0
2
2
8.0%
1/2 years
1
0
1
4.0%
2–5 years
0
1
1
4.0%
5–10 years
0
1
1
4.0%
0/1–10 years
7
1
8
32.0%
>15 years
0
2
2
8.0%
Not specified
5
5
10
40.0%
Sample size
<25
0
2
2
8.0%
25–40
2
2
4
16.0%
41–60
4
4
8
32.0%
>60
7
4
11
44.0%
Location
India
13
7
20
80.0%
UK
0
2
2
8.0%
Cuba
0
2
2
8.0%
Iran
0
1
1
4.0%
Year published
2010–2014
7
7
14
56.0%
2005–2009
2
3
5
20.0%
2000–2004
3
1
4
16.0%
Prior to 2000
1
1
2
8.0%
Yoga intervention
Yoga-based program alone
Including asanas
11
10
21
84.0%
Not including asanas
0
2
2
8.0%
Yoga combined with other interventions
Including asanas
3
0
3
12.0%
Not including asanas
0
0
0
0.0%
Duration
<8 weeks
6
1
7
28.0%
12 weeks/3 months
5
7
12
48.0%
4–6 months
2
2
4
16.0%
>6 months
0
2
2
8.0%
Frequency of practice
<3x/week
0
1
1
4.3%
3x/week
1
3
4
17.4%
4-5x/week
2
1
3
13.0%
6-7x/week
8
7
15
65.2%
Program structure
Classes only
9
7
16
69.6%
Classes combined with home practice
1
5
6
26.1%
Training session combined with home practice
1
0
1
4.3%
Comparison condition
Usual care/no treatment
11
8
19
76.0%
Attention control
0
1
1
4.0%
Active comparator
3
5
8
32.0%
>1 control
1
2
3
12.0%
Including two yoga-based interventions tested within the same study [38]. Practice frequency not specified in 2 NRCTs [39, 40]. Information on program structure lacking in two NRCT’s [39, 41]. Numbers add up to more than 25, as 3 studies included more than one comparator.
