ASSESSING BODY COMPOSITION CHANGES IN YOUNG ATHLETES FOLLOWING A 12-WEEK YOGA PROGRAM USING MULTI-FREQUENCY BIOELECTRICAL IMPEDANCE ANALYSIS

Autors/ores

  • K. K. Swathy Assistant Professor, Mar Thoma College, Tiruvalla, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India
  • Dhrisya Chenthamara Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr., Yangzhou University, China
  • R. Mahesh Assistant Professor, B K College for Women, Amalagiri, Kottayam, Kerala, India
  • Binu George Varghese Professor, Dr., Dean & Director, School of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India
  • Nair R. Harikumaran Professor, Dr., School of Biosciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejpe.v13i5.6870

Paraules clau:

yoga, body mass index, body fat mass, muscle circumference, percentage of body fat

Resum

Yoga and meditation practices enhance self-control, which has a considerable improvement on the behaviour, and aggregate performance of an individual. The intervention of yoga improves athletes’ flexibility, muscle strength, endurance, as well as physiological and mental health. The present investigation sought to determine the variation of body mass composition via multi-frequency bioimpedance analysis in young athletes during 12 weeks of yogic practices. 40 (20 control and 20 experimental) healthy young individuals were randomly assigned and were given yogic practices for 12 weeks. The experimental group exhibited a notable difference in body fat mass (9.695 ± 3.55 kg vs. 16.56 ± 5.40 kg, p = 0.000), body mass index (23.58 ±2.49 vs 20.705±2.59, p= 0.001), arm muscle circumference (25.77 ± 2.16 cm vs 27.34 ± 1.75 cm, p = 0.016). A reduction in fat mass index (FMI) 3.22 ± 1.10 compared to 5.57 ± 1.86, p = 0.000) and obesity degree (94.5 ± 11.51 vs 107.85 ± 11.90, p = 0.001) was also observed in the experimental group. Overall, the study concluded that yoga practices are a reliable method and significantly reduced body fat mass, muscle mass, as well as other anthropometric measurements in runners. Yoga has enormous potential to improve general health and can be given as a modality to improve flexibility and athletic performance.

Biografies de l'autor/a

  • K. K. Swathy, Assistant Professor, Mar Thoma College, Tiruvalla, Pathanamthitta, Kerala, India

    Swathy K. K. is a Physical Education professional and researcher currently working at Mar Thoma College. She is associated with research activities under the RUSA project at Mahatma Gandhi University, where she contributes to yoga-based interventions, laboratory assessments, and research paper preparation. Her research interests include exercise physiology, sports performance, yoga interventions, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), VO₂ max, anaerobic threshold, and sports psychology. She has actively engaged in academic research focusing on athlete performance enhancement and physical fitness assessment among different populations.

  • Dhrisya Chenthamara, Postdoctoral Fellow, Dr., Yangzhou University, China

    Dhrisya Chenthamara earned her PhD in Microbial Biotechnology from Bharathiar University, India, in 2022, under the guidance of Dr. Subramaniam Sadhasivam. Currently, she is working as a postdoctoral fellow at Yangzhou University, China. Her research focuses on using enzymes as biocatalysts to develop biomaterials for tissue engineering and to biotransform small molecules for environmental remediation.

  • R. Mahesh, Assistant Professor, B K College for Women, Amalagiri, Kottayam, Kerala, India

    Mahesh R. is an academician and researcher in the field of Physical Education and Sports Science. He completed a Master’s degree in Physical Education from School of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University. He has served as a Research Assistant for the RUSA 2.0 Major Research Project at Mahatma Gandhi University and is currently working as Assistant Professor at B. K. College, Amalagiri.

  • Binu George Varghese, Professor, Dr., Dean & Director, School of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India

    Prof. Dr. Binu George Varghese is the Dean and Director of the School of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India. He is an accomplished academician, research supervisor, and sports science professional with extensive research experience and a strong record of publications in reputed journals. His major areas of academic and research interest include sports science, exercise physiology, physical fitness, athletic performance, kinesiology, and sports training. He also has vast experience in sports administration, policy development, and sports development, and has made significant contributions to university sports development, academic leadership, and the professional advancement of physical education and sports sciences. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6223-4652

  • Nair R. Harikumaran, Professor, Dr., School of Biosciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India

    Dr. Harikumaran Nair R. currently serves as Professor in the School of Biosciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala. His academic journey reflects a sustained commitment to biological sciences and physiological research. Dr. Nair’s research primarily focuses on cardiac functional biology, nutritional physiology, and toxicological stress mechanisms and sports physiology. His laboratory investigates the physiological and molecular basis of cardiovascular functions caused by oxidative damage, chemical exposure, metabolic disturbances and exercise. His work integrates biochemical, cellular, molecular, and physiological approaches to understand cardiac health and disease. Dr. Nair’s research combines in-vitro experiments, in vivo studies, molecular docking, and physiological analyses.

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Descàrregues

Publicat

2026-07-17

Número

Vol. 13 Núm. 5 (2026)

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Articles

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