Yoga and nutrition in overweight Turkish young women: a 12-week interventional study

Objective This study investigated the effects of a structured 12-week yoga program combined with individualized medical nutrition therapy on body composition, emotional expression, and healthy lifestyle behaviors in overweight and mildly obese women. Methods This is a quantitative intervention study. A total of 79 Turkish women aged 20–45 years with a body mass index between 25–34.9 kg/m2 were enrolled. Participants attended yoga sessions twice weekly and received personalized dietary counseling. Anthropometric data were collected, and two validated instruments – the Emotional Expressivity Scale and the Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Scale II – were administered at baseline and after 12 weeks. Data were analyzed quantitatively using paired t-tests and correlation analysis. Results Statistically significant improvements were observed in body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, fat percentage, and emotional expression scores (p<0.05). Healthy lifestyle behaviors also improved across all subscales. Conclusion The integration of yoga and individualized nutrition counseling appears to be an effective and holistic approach to promoting emotional well-being and improving body composition among overweight and mildly obese adult women.