Volume 12, Issue 1 (June 2026)
Elderly Health Journal 2026, 12(1): 80-93 |
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Sharma D. Yogic Dietary Interventions for Nutritional Health and Well-Being in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Conceptual Framework. Elderly Health Journal 2026; 12 (1) :80-93
URL: http://ehj.ssu.ac.ir/article-1-381-en.html
URL: http://ehj.ssu.ac.ir/article-1-381-en.html
School of Buddhist Studies, Philosophy & Comparative Religions / School of Languages and Literature/Humanities, Nalanda University, Rajgir, Bihar, India , mdivyarkl@gmail.com
Abstract: (58 Views)
Introduction: Geriatric malnutrition is a pervasive clinical and public health challenge linked to functional decline, increased hospitalization rates, and diminished quality of life. Traditional Indian dietary systems, rooted in the classical frameworks of Yoga and Ayurveda, offer structured, culturally embedded philosophical approaches to nutritional management in older adults. Despite growing scholarly and clinical interest, the evidence base for Yogic dietary interventions in geriatric populations has not yet been formally synthesized.
Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted across PubMed/MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, JSTOR, and Indian databases (IAMJ, IndMED, Cureus), supplemented by hand-searching classical primary sources. Studies enrolling community-dwelling older adults who received Yogic or Ayurvedic dietary interventions and reported validated nutritional outcomes were eligible. Two reviewers independently screened records, extracted data, and assessed methodological quality.
Results: Six empirical studies and four classical textual sources were included. Yogic dietary interventions consistently improved Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) scores across studies. Two RCTs and two pre-post interventional studies demonstrated consistent improvements in MNA scores and malnutrition risk reduction following dietary and nutrition education interventions. The methodologically strongest available Indian evidence demonstrated a rise in mean MNA from 21.4 ± 1.12 to 23.15 ± 1.71 (p < 0.001), substantially improving mean MNA scores from the at-risk range (21.4) to near the normal threshold (23.15). A community-based interventional study (n = 205) confirmed a significant reduction in malnutrition prevalence from 40.5% to 30.7% (p < 0.05). A novel Panchakosha-Nutritional Integration Model is proposed, mapping classical Yogic constructs onto five modern nutritional and well-being domains.
Conclusion: Yogic dietary interventions appear to be associated with improved nutritional well-being in older adults, though causal inference is limited by the observational nature of most included studies. The proposed Panchakosha model offers a translational framework for integrating these ancient principles into geriatric nutrition research and practice. Larger, multi-centre trials incorporating biochemical markers and extended follow-up are recommended.
Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted across PubMed/MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, JSTOR, and Indian databases (IAMJ, IndMED, Cureus), supplemented by hand-searching classical primary sources. Studies enrolling community-dwelling older adults who received Yogic or Ayurvedic dietary interventions and reported validated nutritional outcomes were eligible. Two reviewers independently screened records, extracted data, and assessed methodological quality.
Results: Six empirical studies and four classical textual sources were included. Yogic dietary interventions consistently improved Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) scores across studies. Two RCTs and two pre-post interventional studies demonstrated consistent improvements in MNA scores and malnutrition risk reduction following dietary and nutrition education interventions. The methodologically strongest available Indian evidence demonstrated a rise in mean MNA from 21.4 ± 1.12 to 23.15 ± 1.71 (p < 0.001), substantially improving mean MNA scores from the at-risk range (21.4) to near the normal threshold (23.15). A community-based interventional study (n = 205) confirmed a significant reduction in malnutrition prevalence from 40.5% to 30.7% (p < 0.05). A novel Panchakosha-Nutritional Integration Model is proposed, mapping classical Yogic constructs onto five modern nutritional and well-being domains.
Conclusion: Yogic dietary interventions appear to be associated with improved nutritional well-being in older adults, though causal inference is limited by the observational nature of most included studies. The proposed Panchakosha model offers a translational framework for integrating these ancient principles into geriatric nutrition research and practice. Larger, multi-centre trials incorporating biochemical markers and extended follow-up are recommended.
Type of Study: Applicable |
Subject:
General
Received: 2026/05/3 | Accepted: 2026/06/14 | Published: 2026/06/20
Received: 2026/05/3 | Accepted: 2026/06/14 | Published: 2026/06/20
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