Diabetes and heart disease have increased rapidly in the last decade, and are fueled by an epidemic of obesity. The Metabolic Syndrome is a group of disorders that occur at the same time and are linked to a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. The Metabolic Syndrome is diagnosed when 3 of the following factors are present: high blood pressure, high glucose (blood sugar), high triglycerides, low HDL (good, protective) cholesterol, and abdominal obesity (belly fat).

    One of every 4 American adults has the metabolic syndrome, and the risk increases after age 40, and among selected ethnic groups. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) showed that one of every 3 (33%) Mexican-American men and 41% of Mexican-American women had the metabolic syndrome.  Abdominal obesity, high glucose levels and high triglycerides were the most common components among Mexican-American men, while abdominal obesity, high glucose levels and low levels of HDL cholesterol (the good, protective cholesterol) were the most common components among Mexican-American women.

    Previous studies have shown that eating a healthy diet and regular exercise can reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease, however maintaining these behaviors can be hard for some people. Gentle forms of exercise such as yoga or active stretching might be a useful alternative.  A study at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) showed that after 10 weeks of yoga, there was a trend towards reduced blood pressure, a significant increase in energy level and a trend towards improved well-being and stress.  These results were published by UCSF professor, Dr. Alka Kanaya, in the journal Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders.

    UCSD is collaborating with Dr. Kanaya and UCSF to determine if stretching or restorative yoga will improve the health of adults with the metabolic syndrome. The Practicing Restorative Yoga or Stretching for Metabolic Syndrome (PRYSMS) is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Unlike standard exercise interventions which emphasize aerobic activity, the stretches and yoga poses in the PRYSMS study encourage gentle exercise for relaxation and stress reduction.

    According to Dr. Maria Rosario Araneta of UCSD, “We enrolled over 120 participants last year, but we are seeking more participants for our final wave of classes.”  Participants must be between the ages of 21 and 65, overweight, underactive (exercise less than 150 minutes per week), available to participate for one year, and have either high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or prediabetes, or had diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes). Unfortunately, those taking diabetes medications or who practice yoga or pilates regularly are not eligible.

    Participants will receive free yoga or active stretch classes near the UCSD campus in La Jolla, yoga and stretch accessories, a DVD for home practice sessions, and $50 after completing each of 4 required clinical visits. To determine if there are improvements in blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol and inflammatory markers associated with heart disease and diabetes, participants will be required to attend a clinical visit every 3 months. Salivary cortisol (a stress hormone) will also be measured to assess stress levels. Measures of abdominal fat, by CT scan, will be performed to determine if yoga or stretch is effective in reducing harmful belly fat.    

    To learn more about the PRYSMS study, please visit our website, which includes a video of the proposed yoga/stretch poses. http://coe.ucsf.edu/scor/prysms/

    If you have friends or family members who might benefit from this gentle lifestyle intervention, please ask them to call (858) 534-8118 or email:  prysms@ucsd.edu.