Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #97354

William P. Tonkins Jr., Dr PH, Department of Public Health, Morgan State University, 1700 East Cold Spring Lane, Jenkins Building, Baltimore, MD 21251, 410-852-3292, philtonkins@hotmail.com

This randomized study examined the effect of Hatha yoga on parameters of cardiac fitness in African American college students compared with a control group. Yoga has been a successful complementary and alternative medicine intervention in the treatment of health disorders such as, anxiety, arthritis, asthma, back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, depression, diabetes, and heart disease. A sample of 28 African-American college students was recruited to participate in a 2-month Hatha yoga intervention. A time-series case-control randomized study design with a pre- and post-test was used. Baseline heart rates, blood pressure, heart rate variability (HRV) variables, and oxygen consumption (VO2 max) were measured. All participants completed a 1-mile run pre-test to measure VO2 max. Ambulatory Holter monitor was used to measure HRV variables. Participants completed a questionnaire describing their exercise training history. Half of the participants completed a 2-month training period of Hatha yoga. Both groups were measured again during week 4 and at the completion of the training period (week 8). The effect of Hatha yoga on parameters of cardiac fitness in African American college students was examined statistically using Student's t-distribution, Fisher's F-distribution, and linear regression. For this population of African American college students, it was concluded that a 2-month yoga intervention improved diastolic blood pressure, oxygen consumption, mile run time, and components of heart rate variability. Research, such as this study, documents the benefits and changes in cardiac fitness associated with the practice of yoga.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant in this session will be able to

• Determine if the practice of Hatha yoga improves the selected parameters of cardiac fitness among a currently healthy population of African Americans that are at increased risk for future heart disease.
• Determine if the practice of Hatha yoga will have a beneficial effect on resting heart rate.
• Determine if the practice of Hatha yoga will have a beneficial effect on blood pressure.
• Determine if the practice of Hatha yoga will have a beneficial effect on estimated oxygen consumption.
• Determine if the practice of Hatha yoga will have a beneficial effect on heart rate variability.

Keywords: Alternative Medicine/Therapies, Exercise

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.