Beyond the Badge: A Scoping Review Among Police Personnel in South India Exploring the Impact of Yoga and Health Education on Cardiovascular Health

Communicable diseases have been the primary cause of morbidity and mortality, affecting populations for decades. However, in recent times, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) have emerged as the primary cause of illness and premature death due to factors such as urbanization, longer life expectancy, and unhealthy lifestyles. In recent years, noncommunicable illnesses have emerged as the primary cause of morbidity and premature mortality, replacing infectious diseases as the leading cause of illness and death. Among the top five causes of NCD, cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most important factor, comprising the major diseases with maximum mortality and morbidity. The burden of CVD is greatly increased by modifiable risk factors, such as smoking, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and excess body weight. CVD occurs particularly in certain occupational risk groups, such as doctors, police personnel, and persons working for prolonged hours, predisposing them to unhealthy dietary practices, improper sleeping patterns, and increased psychological stress. As members of this occupational group, police personnel are particularly at risk for cardiovascular diseases, making it imperative to implement preventive measures to reduce the burden of these diseases in this population. The primary objective was to assess the impact of yoga and health education interventions on cardiovascular health outcomes among police personnel in South India, and the secondary objective was to examine the changes in blood pressure levels and lipid profiles following yoga and health education programs among police personnel.