Why the study?
Sedentary behaviour impairs vascular function and increases cardiovascular risk, but the relative efficacy of yoga versus conventional exercise to counteract these effects remains unclear.
Do yoga interventions improve ultrasound-measured vascular function compared to conventional exercise in sedentary adults?
Do yoga interventions improve ultrasound-measured vascular function compared to conventional exercise in sedentary adults?
Conventional exercise interventions consistently improve vascular function more than yoga among sedentary individuals.
Prioritize conventional exercise over yoga to improve vascular function in sedentary adults; challenges equivalence assumptions and extends comparative evidence for targeted trials.
Background Sedentary behaviour negatively impacts vascular function, increasing cardiovascular risk. While yoga and conventional exercise are proposed to counteract these effects, their relative efficacy remains unclear. Objective This review aims to compare the effects of yoga and conventional exercise interventions on ultrasound-measured vascular function in sedentary individuals. Methods A systematic search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science was conducted (last updated February 15, 2025), including randomized controlled trials (RCTs), crossover trials, and non-randomized studies comparing yoga and exercise interventions in sedentary adults. Studies assessing vascular function using ultrasound techniques (e.g., flow-mediated dilation [FMD], pulse wave velocity [PWV]) were included. The review followed PRISMA guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420250655130). Results Ten studies met the inclusion criteria. Yoga interventions showed mixed results, with some improvement in endothelial function in older adults but inconsistent effects on arterial stiffness. Exercise interventions consistently improved FMD and reduced arterial stiffness. However, micro-breaks during prolonged sitting yielded limited benefits. Most studies had small sample sizes and short durations, affecting generalizability. Conclusion Exercise interventions consistently improve vascular function more than yoga among sedentary individuals. Yoga may benefit older populations but lacks
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Paramashiva et al. (2025) studied this question.
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