Study: Yoga and Mediterranean Diet Improve Older Health

A recent study published in Nutrients examined the combined effects of yoga and the Mediterranean diet (MD) on various health outcomes in older adults.

Spain has seen a significant increase in the number of older people, currently around 20%, which is predicted to reach 29% by the 2060s. With age, physiological changes occur that affect nutrient absorption, appetite and the risk of malnutrition, as well as an increase in the proportion of fat mass and a decrease in muscle mass.

Older adults also experience declines in physical functionality, including flexibility, balance, and muscle strength, due to decreased physical activity and age-related changes in connective tissue and proprioception. These changes increase the risk of falls, injuries, and decreased quality of life.

Strategies such as diet and exercise are important to combat these effects. The Mediterranean diet, which emphasizes plant-based foods, moderate consumption of fish, poultry, dairy products and limited consumption of red meat, provides essential nutrients to support overall health.

Exercise, especially therapies that focus on the body and mind such as yoga, offers significant benefits. Yoga improves nutrient absorption and digestion, flexibility, range of motion and muscle strength, which helps improve overall health and functional independence in older adults.

This study aimed to evaluate the combined effects of a Mediterranean diet and yoga on nutrition and functional health in older adults.

Researchers used a randomized controlled trial to examine the effects of a 12-week intervention involving yoga and a Mediterranean diet on flexibility, balance, grip strength, and lower body strength in noninstitutionalized older adults.

The sample included 118 participants aged 65 years and older who were recruited through telephone calls and emails who met criteria such as no recent yoga participation and ability to understand program instructions.

Participants were randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, each containing 59 participants, using a computer system, without participants or investigators being aware of group assignment.

The experimental group participated in twice-weekly yoga sessions and followed a Mediterranean diet, while the control group continued with their usual activities and diet.

Data collected included demographic information, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, nutrition, flexibility, balance and muscle strength, which were assessed before and after the intervention.

Data analysis included various statistical tests, including one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to compare the results before and after the intervention, with the level of significance set at p < 0.05, and an effect size calculated using Cohen's d.

36.96% of men and 63.04% of women participated in the study, with high adherence to participation in intervention sessions (91.6%). No injuries or negative reactions were recorded.

Significant improvements in various health indicators were observed following the combined intervention of yoga and the Mediterranean diet.

Adherence to the Mediterranean diet showed significant group differences and improvements over time, with a noticeable effect size (Cohen's d = 2.18). Nutrition also improved significantly, although group differences were less pronounced (Cohen's d = 0.05).

Balance and gait showed moderate improvements, with significant differences after intervention (Cohen's d = 0.40 for balance, 0.42 for gait).

Flexibility improved significantly across multiple body regions, with significant effect sizes for the right arm and left leg (Cohen's d = 0.43 and 0.37, respectively).

It was also found that the group that received the Mediterranean diet combined with yoga showed greater differences between pre- and post-intervention measurements for muscle strength.

Specifically, lower body strength and grip strength showed significant differences (Cohen's d = 0.39 for grip strength, 0.81 for lower body strength).

The study concluded that a 12-week intervention that combined a Mediterranean diet with yoga significantly improved nutrition, balance, gait, fall risk, flexibility, and muscle strength in noninstitutionalized older adults.

These results are consistent with previous studies indicating the benefits of physical activity and the Mediterranean diet for older adults.

Strengths of the study include its randomized, controlled, and blinded design, high participant compliance, and large sample size, which increases the validity of the results.

However, the study has limitations, such as the failure to blind participants, the short-term nature of the effects assessed, and the integrated nature of the intervention, which makes it difficult to isolate the specific contributions of yoga or diet.

Future studies should consider separate group designs for each intervention to better understand their individual effects.

Despite these limitations, the study highlights the importance of exercise and dietary interventions in improving the health and well-being of older adults, which can help inform public health policies aimed at promoting healthy aging and reducing the burden of chronic disease.