Nutritional Assessment of Female Yoga Practitioners with Different Levels of Experience

• Published in: Sport Mont 2022-02, Vol.20 (1), p.45-49
• Main Authors: Kolimechkov, Stefan, Petrov, Lubomir, Vankova, Deyana, Douglas, Deidre
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1451-7485; 2337-0351
• DOI: 10.26773/smj.220208

Yoga includes many components for a healthy lifestyle such as physical exercises, abstaining from tobacco, stress management and a low-fat diet. The aim of this study was to assess the nutrition of yoga practitioners and to compare it with international guidelines for a healthy diet. This study comprised 89 female yoga practitioners from Bulgaria. The nutrient intake was assessed by using a food frequency questionnaire based on the USDA National Nutrient Database. The relative intake of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, energy contribution of each nutrient, and the total daily energy intake and relative energy intake were calculated. The BMI of the yoga practitioners was near the lower normal limit (18.5 kg/m2). Only 3 practitioners were overweight. The yoga practitioners consumed small amounts of pork and beef and ~60% did not consume any meat at all. They consumed an average of 600 g of fruits and vegetables per day, which complies with the 400 g recommended by the WHO. Practising yoga helps to maintain normal weight which is one of the prerequisites for a healthy lifestyle. The nutritional assessment of the yoga participants corresponded with the recommendations of the WHO and the American Cancer Society Guidelines for a healthy diet.