Effect of yoga on cardiac autonomic dysfunction and insulin resistance in non-diabetic offspring of type-2-diabetes parents: A randomized controlled study

Objective: The present study was aimed to determine the effect of yoga program on cardiac autonomic dysfunction and insulin resistance in non-diabetic offspring of diabetes parents.

Methods: A randomized passive-controlled study was conducted on 64 non-diabetic offspring of type-2-diabetes parents (mean-age:25.17years). Yoga group participants received yoga training for 8 weeks. Heart-rate variability (HRV) indices: low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF) and LF/HF ratio; fasting blood glucose (FBG), oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and insulin resistance (IR) were estimated at baseline and after 8-weeks of intervention.

Results: We found a significant decrease in LF (p = 0.005), LF/HF ratio (p = 0.004), IR (p < 0.001), OGTT (p = 0.003) and increase in HF (p = 0.022) in yoga group participants. Control group participants did not show any significant change in any variables.

Conclusions: Improvement in cardiac autonomic function and insulin resistance by yoga training implies that yoga can reduce the risk of development of diabetes in offspring of diabetes parents.