Yoga-based interventions hold promise for smoking cessation

This study provided a review of evidence-based yoga interventions’ impact on smoking cessation. The researchers reviewed articles obtained from MEDLINE (PubMed), EBSCOHOST, PROQUEST, MEDINDIA, CINAHL, Alt HealthWatch, and AMED databases. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (a) study published between 2004 and 2013, (b) study published in English language, (c) study used yoga-based interventions, (d) study involved smokers with varying level of smoking, (e) study used any quantitative design, and (f) study had physiological and/or psychological outcomes. 

A total of 10 studies met the inclusion criteria. Designs were 2 pre–post tests and 8 randomized controlled trials. 

A majority of the interventions were able to enhance quitting smoking rates in the participants under study.