Yoga as a Lifestyle Modification Strategy for Early Prevention of Obesity Related Risks in Healthy Young Men

Background: Overweight, obesity, and abnormal body composition are major contributors to non-communicable diseases globally. Lifestyle modifications, including yoga, are increasingly recognized as effective non-pharmacological strategies for improving metabolic health. However, evidence on the effects of short-term, intensive yoga interventions on body composition remains limited. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a structured five-week yoga intervention on anthropometric, metabolic, and body composition parameters in healthy male adults. Methods: A pre–post experimental study was conducted among 50 healthy male participants (age range: 18–35 years) recruited from Gurukul Gym, Sarsawa, Dist-Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. Participants underwent a progressive five-week yoga program consisting of daily sessions (six days per week, 33–85 minutes). Outcome measures included body weight, body mass index (BMI), basal metabolic rate (BMR), body fat percentage, fat mass, lean mass, visceral fat, subcutaneous fat, regional fat (arms, trunk, legs), and skeletal muscle mass (whole body and regional), assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Data were analyzed using paired-sample t-tests in SPSS (Version 26.0), with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Significant reductions were observed in body weight (63.48 → 57.06 kg, p < 0.0001), BMI (23.32 → 20.96 kg/m², p < 0.0001), BMR (1526 → 1462 kcal/day, p < 0.0001), and body fat percentage (18.45% → 15.62%, p < 0.0001). Fat mass and all regional fat indices (visceral, subcutaneous, trunk, arms, legs) declined significantly. Additionally, lean mass and skeletal muscle mass decreased across body regions (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: A five-week structured yoga intervention produced significant reductions in body weight, BMI, body fat, and visceral adiposity among healthy male adults, highlighting yoga’s potential as a short-term lifestyle modification strategy. The concurrent decline in lean mass emphasizes the need to integrate dietary monitoring or resistance-based practices to preserve muscle mass. These findings support yoga as a practical and accessible approach for the early prevention of obesity-related risks.