No significant difference was found between yoga and exercise .
Conclusions There is promising evidence of yoga on improving cardio-metabolic health .
Background Yoga , a popular mind-body practice , may produce changes in cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) and metabolic syndrome risk factors .
Effects of Yoga on Mental and Physical Health: A Short Summary of Reviews
This report summarizes the current evidence on the effects of  yoga interventions on various components of mental and physical health , by focussing on the evidence described in review articles . Collectively , these review s suggest a number of areas where yoga may well be beneficial , but more research is required for virtually all of them to firmly establish such benefits . The heterogeneity among interventions and conditions studied has hampered the use of meta- analysis as an appropriate tool for summarizing the current literature . Nevertheless , there are some meta-analyses which indicate beneficial effects of yoga interventions , and there are several r and omized clinical trials ( RCT 's ) of relatively high quality indicating beneficial effects of yoga for pain-associated disability and mental health .  Yoga may well be effective as a supportive adjunct to mitigate some medical conditions , but not yet a proven st and -alone , curative treatment . Larger-scale and more rigorous research with higher method ological quality and adequate control interventions is highly encouraged because yoga may have potential to be implemented as a beneficial supportive/adjunct treatment that is relatively cost-effective , may be practice d at least in part as a self-care behavioral treatment , provides a life-long behavioural skill , enhances self-efficacy and self-confidence and is often associated with additional positive side effects
No significant difference was found between yoga and exercise .
Conclusions There is promising evidence of yoga on improving cardio-metabolic health .
Background Yoga , a popular mind-body practice , may produce changes in cardiovascular disease ( CVD ) and metabolic syndrome risk factors .