By Cynthia Dermody, January 2007

Yoga can reduce stress and build muscle. Now researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center say it may help shed kilograms.

True, many classes aren't rigorous enough to give you a serious kilojoule burn, but practising yoga seems to help you eat less in general, so you lose weight, says lead author Dr Alan Kristal. He studied 15 500 people aged from 53 to 57, who reported on their exercise and weight history from their twenties onwards.

Weight gain is common in middle age, but normal-weight volunteers who practised yoga regularly (at least 30 minutes once a week for four or more years) gained 1,4 fewer kilograms than non-yogis over ten years. Overweight people lost 2,3 kilograms, and those who did not do yoga gained more than six kilograms. "Yoga makes you more aware of your body," says Kristal. "So when you've eaten enough, you're sensitive to feeling full, and this makes it easier to stop."

To try it, look for a class that teaches the fundamentals before rushing through tougher moves.