This is confusing. The abstracts states "Patients were randomized to yoga (Blood Pressure Education Program [BPEP]), or a combined program (COMBO)." but the Methods say that BPRP consisted only of "12 nutrition classes and 12 motivational experiences. BPEP patients were also expected to walk 6 days a week, gradually increasing to 180 minutes of walking per week or 10,000 steps per day."
Very encouraging to see a meta-analysis that was able to identify 13 studies that met the criteria (although I'm puzzled as to why "psychotherapy" was included in the initial search terms. Although it is exceptionally difficult to research CAM treatments, these efforts get us closer to a body of evidence.
"The optimal BP value for patients with diabetes is still uncertain. " This certainly makes it difficult to assess when and which lifestyle and pharmacological interventions should be adopted, despite the thorough review of potential risks/benefits of various treatments.
There is not a huge benefit, but the "costs" (i.e. pain v pleasure as in exercising v taking a warm bath) suggest that this therapy could be another arrow in the diabetes/blood pressure quiver.
I applaud this informative title. As to the study, I am not surprised by the results--the time span may simply be too short. The large increase in vegetable consumption, if maintained throughout life, could still have positive benefits.
Due to the pandemic, the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey--typically done in person at respondents' home--has been administered over the phone since May 2010, including a complex process of abstracting utilization and cost info from respondents' insurance statements. Although this long-running, population-based study draws much of it rigour from its longitudinal nature, it seems likely that year-to-year and trend comparisons will not be feasible for data collected during the 3-4 rounds done without home visits.
So few abstracts seem to say what population was studied (i.e. country or ethnicity). That makes it difficult to judge whether it is worth the effort to go try to find the full text.
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