BackgroundLittle is known about the metabolic and heart rate responses to a typical hatha yoga session. The purposes of this study were 1) to determine whether a typical yoga practice using various postures meets the current recommendations for levels of physical activity required to improve and maintain health and cardiovascular fitness; 2) to determine the reliability of metabolic costs of yoga across sessions; 3) to compare the metabolic costs of yoga practice to those of treadmill walking.MethodsIn this observational study, 20 intermediate-to-advanced level yoga practitioners, age 31.4 ± 8.3 years, performed an exercise routine inside a human respiratory chamber (indirect calorimeter) while wearing heart rate monitors. The exercise routine consisted of 30 minutes of sitting, 56 minutes of beginner-level hatha yoga administered by video, and 10 minutes of treadmill walking at 3.2 and 4.8 kph each. Measures were mean oxygen consumption (VO2), heart rate (HR), percentage predicted maximal heart rate (%MHR), metabolic equivalents (METs), and energy expenditure (kcal). Seven subjects repeated the protocol so that measurement reliability could be established.ResultsMean values across the entire yoga session for VO2, HR, %MHR, METs, and energy/min were 0.6 L/kg/min; 93.2 beats/min; 49.4%; 2.5; and 3.2 kcal/min; respectively. Results of the ICCs (2,1) for mean values across the entire yoga session for kcal, METs, and %MHR were 0.979 and 0.973, and 0.865, respectively.ConclusionMetabolic costs of yoga averaged across the entire session represent low levels of physical activity, are similar to walking on a treadmill at 3.2 kph, and do not meet recommendations for levels of physical activity for improving or maintaining health or cardiovascular fitness. Yoga practice incorporating sun salutation postures exceeding the minimum bout of 10 minutes may contribute some portion of sufficiently intense physical activity to improve cardio-respiratory fitness in unfit or sedentary individuals. The measurement of energy expenditure across yoga sessions is highly reliable.

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Telling children that they have HIV is a one of the most difficult psychosocial issues for parents and professionals caring for children with HIV. The literature presents three primary reasons for this: concerns for children's emotional well-being, fear that children will not be able to keep the secret within the family and maternal fear of blame when the virus is transmitted from mother to child. Through research and clinical experience, our HIV team has developed strategies for balancing the needs of parents and children through the three major stages of disclosure: pre-disclosure preparation; the disclosure event and immediate support; and post-disclosure: ongoing assessment, support and information. Before children are told about their HIV, we provide them with health information through partial truth-telling, building gradually upon their knowledge about their health while supporting their parents as they move towards disclosure. We provide support and information during the disclosure event, as planned with parents, and ongoing support after disclosure, as children gain knowledge and understanding of their health and HIV issues. We discuss issues such as multidisciplinary communication and delayed disclosures.