Modern lifestyles and poor health behaviours have increased the prevalence of overweight and obesity among humans throughout the globe. Center for Disease Control (CDC) defines Obesity as the state when our body mass index (BMI) is more than 30 1 and a BMI of more than 25 is considered Overweight. Obesity is regarded as an epidemic in the USA2 contributing to many different chronic illnesses3. Having said that, it is not uncommon in countries like Nepal. Recent research done by Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS, 2016) mentions 18.2 per cent of the participants had obesity which clearly shows that Obesity is an emerging challenge even for low and middle-income countries like Nepal. 

According to the WHO, Obesity has reached epidemic proportions with the cost of 2.8 million people’s death every year. Not only that, it is comorbid with physical and mental health issues like lower back pain, anxiety, stress, depression, and so on. Some different factors plays role in Obesity, Sedentary lifestyle that we have in urban areas and excessive intake of processed food is the major culprit of Obesity4. The Surgeon General, stresses the factors like decreased physical activity; increased consumption of high-calorie, high-fat, and nutrient-poor foods; and stress.

What can we do? 

What we can do to prevent Obesity, Seems to be the million-dollar question. There exists no single potential solution for it. Research findings show that more than 30,000 bariatric surgeries were performed globally to treat obesity in 2011 but it poses significant risks of other health complications 5. That’s why traditional and alternative weight loss programs for instance; yoga and meditation, dietary changes, exercises, behaviour changes, and so on are highly recommended by health experts. 

Yoga is one of the most popular types of complementary and alternative medicine practised across the globe. It is mind-body meditative practice accompanying physical postures (Asanas), breath (Pranayamas) and mindfulness techniques like meditation (Dhyana). Research findings support yoga being useful in improving the number of obesity-related issues such as BMI, diet and body weight. Studies of long-term yoga practitioners infer the longer the frequency of yoga practice greater the chances of weight loss6. Practitioners practising yoga for at least four years are two to four times less likely to gain weight as they age as compared to non-practitioners. 

There are many debates about how yoga contributes to weight loss. The effectiveness of yoga in weight loss is primarily for the fact that it is due to increased energy expenditure, reduced pain and stress and enhanced body awareness. It also improves mood, allows the practitioners for additional exercise and rest outside the yoga sessions, and makes an individual connected to themselves resulting in enhancing holistic well-being. That’s why the significance of yoga as a means of weight loss and maintenance can never be exaggerated. 

Yoga Asanas for weight loss 

Many different Asanas and poses are found helpful in weight loss. Some of the basic poses that we (Shiva Tattva Yog School) have found beneficial in our more than 3 years of yoga practice and experiences of practitioners are: 

1. Suryanamaskara 
2. Chaturanga Dandasana 
3. Sarvangasana 
4. Virabhadrasana 
5. Parivritta Utkatasana
6. Dhanurasana 
7. Adho mukha Sawanasana and so on. 

References 

1. CDC, “Vital signs: state-specific obesity prevalence among adults—United States, 2009,” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, vol. 59, pp. 1–5, 2010.

2. K. M. Flegal, M. D. Carroll, C. L. Ogden, and L. R. Curtin, “Prevalence and trends in obesity among US adults, 1999–2008,” The Journal of the American Medical Association, vol. 303, no. 3, pp. 235–241, 2010

3. S. D. H. Malnick and H. Knobler, “The medical complications of obesity,” QJM, vol. 99, no. 9, pp. 565–579, 2006.

4. Popkin, B. M., Adair, L. S. & Ng, S. W. Global nutrition transition and the pandemic of obesity in developing countries. Nutr Rev 70, 3–21, 2012.

5. D. E. Arterburn and A. P. Courcoulas, “Bariatric surgery for obesity and metabolic conditions in adults,” The British Medical Journal, vol. 349, Article ID g3961, 2014.