Although yoga may help manage conditions comorbid with overweight and obesity, such as low back pain, whether yoga helps with weight loss or maintenance beyond that which can be achieved with diet and exercise remains unclear. A search of multiple databases through September 2012 was undertaken identifying peerreviewed studies on yoga, meditation, mindfulness, obesity, and overweight. Studies on yoga and weight loss are challenged by small sample sizes, short durations, and lack of control groups. In addition, there is little consistency in terms of duration of formal group yoga practice sessions, duration of informal practices at home, and frequency of both. Studies do however suggest that yoga may be associated with weight loss or maintenance. Mechanisms by which yoga may assist with weight loss or maintenance include the following: (a) energy expenditure during yoga sessions; (b) allowing for additional exercise outside yoga sessions by reducing back and joint pain; (c) heightening mindfulness, improving mood, and reducing stress, which may help reduce food intake; and (d) allowing individuals to feel more connected to their bodies, leading to enhanced awareness of satiety and the discomfort of overeating. Thus, yoga appears promising as a way to assist with behavioral change, weight loss, and maintenance.

Cancer survivors participating in a comprehensive intervention could employ the prescribed lifestyle modifications to produce clinically relevant health and quality-of-life benefits. These data support the American Cancer Society (ACS) and American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) recommendations to incorporate healthy lifestyle modifications into long-term cancer survivorship care.

The occurrence of chronic and debilitating diseases is rapidly on the rise, and chronic stress has gained a permanent foothold in our culture and life style. Health care costs are steadily and precipitously increasing and are having a deleterious effect on our pocket books and our society's health. These problems are persistent and insidious. What is being done to stop these conditions in their tracks and to enhance the quality of life for those suffering from them? One response is the recognition of preventative therapies as a viable solution to some of these concerns. The system of yoga, in all its forms, is beginning to play a crucial role in healthcare service delivery. The growing body of empirical research suggests that yoga works, but is that enough?