Background: Yoga may help adults of all fitness levels increase their physical activity and decrease their cardiovascular disease risk.
Aim: To determine if arterial stiffness is lower (beneficial) in yoga versus non-yoga participants.
Method: This cross-sectional study included 202 yoga (48.4 + 14.1 years, 81% female) and 181 (42.8 + 14.1 years, 44% female) non-yoga participants. The primary outcome was carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV). The two groups were compared using analysis of covariance with adjustments for demographic (age and sex), hemodynamic (mean arterial pressure and heart rate), lifestyle (physical activity levels, sedentary behaviour, smoking status and perceived stress score) and cardiometabolic (waist-to-hip ratio, total cholesterol and fasting glucose) factors.
Results: Following adjustments, cfPWV was significantly lower in yoga compared to non-yoga participants with a mean difference: -0.28 m.s-1, (95% CI = -0.55 to 0.08).
Conclusion: At a population level, yoga participation may assist with decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease in adults.
Keywords: arterial stiffness; blood pressure; heart disease; physical activity; pulse wave velocity.