Abstract :
CONTEXT (BACKGROUND) AND AIMS: Rapid industrialization, environmental pollution, overcrowding, sedentary lifestyle and various stress factors are responsible for the deterioration of the physical health of a person. Also, prevalence of obesity in developing countries is believed to be on the rise. This requires special and specific techniques to transcend the limits of our physical and mental abilities experienced in everyday life. Hence, in the present study beneficial effect of Kapalbhati pranayama on waist circumference and hip circumference was studied in overweight individuals. METHODS AND MATERIALS: This study was conducted in a well-known tertiary hospital in Mumbai after the institutional ethical clearance and written consent from each participant. A total of 60 overweight resident doctors were recruited in this study. The participants were divided into study and control groups, each group containing 30 subjects of both sexes. The study group was asked to perform Kapalbhati pranayama. The duration of the study was eight weeks. Waist circumference and hip circumference were assessed in both the groups. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Paired t- test was applied for statistical analysis and p value KEY WORDS: Kapalbhati pranayama, Waist circumference, Hip circumference