Integrate yoga in national diabetes prevention policies: Dr. Jitendra Singh

New Delhi, Dec 13 (IANS) Integrating yoga in national diabetes prevention policies may be key to preventing the onset of the blood sugar condition among people with prediabetes, said Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, on Friday.

He said this while releasing a study, by the Research Society for Study of Diabetes in India (RSSDI), that underscored the transformative potential of yoga in the prevention of Type-2 diabetes.

The study, published in the journal Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research and Reviews, showed that a 40-minute daily yoga routine, incorporating select asanas and pranayama, along with standard lifestyle interventions, can reduce the risk of developing diabetes by approximately 40 per cent.

“These results surpass the outcomes of existing diabetes prevention strategies in the country,” said the researchers.

With over 101 million people currently living with diabetes and another 136 million in the prediabetic stage, the study's evidence-based approach could play a pivotal role in addressing the growing epidemic, said Singh, who is also a Professor of Medicine, and a renowned Diabetologist.

The study was conducted over three years across five centers in India and involved nearly 1,000 prediabetic individuals.

The team evaluated the results of the Indian Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) which achieved a 28 per cent risk reduction through lifestyle changes, and another trial that combined lifestyle measures with stepwise medication (metformin) that reported a 32 per cent reduction.

“The efficacy of yoga in this study outperformed both, showcasing its superiority as a standalone preventive measure,” said the researchers.

“The findings are a potential ‘game changer’ for India's healthcare system…and reaffirms the relevance of yoga, an ancient Indian practice, in tackling modern health challenges,” Singh said.

“This study stands out as the first well-designed, long-term trial to scientifically validate yoga's effectiveness in preventing diabetes,” he said while urging the need to “integrate yoga into national diabetes prevention policies to achieve widespread public health benefits”.

The study was conducted by a group of eminent RSSDI members including Prof S.V. Madhu, Head of Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, University College of Medical Sciences New Delhi, Prof H.B. Chandalia, Former Head at Grant Medical College Mumbai and presently Head Diabetes Endocrine Nutrition Management and Research Centre, Mumbai, Dr Arvind Gupta, Manilek Research Centre Jaipur and others.