Comparative Effect of Hatha Yoga, Aerobic Exercise, and Combined Training on Physical Fitness, Mental Health, and Quality of Life among Sedentary Middle-Aged Adults

Abstract

Sedentary lifestyles have become a major public health concern due to their association with declining physical fitness, psychological distress, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and reduced quality of life. Middle-aged adults are particularly vulnerable because occupational commitments, technological dependence, and limited leisure-time physical activity contribute to prolonged sedentary behaviour. While both Hatha Yoga and aerobic exercise have independently demonstrated beneficial effects on physical and mental health, limited research has compared their individual and combined effectiveness within the same experimental framework. The present study proposes a comparative evaluation of Hatha Yoga, aerobic exercise, and a combined training programme to determine their relative influence on physical fitness, mental health, and quality of life among sedentary middle-aged adults. The proposed investigation adopts a randomized controlled experimental design involving sedentary adults aged 40–60 years. Participants will be allocated into four groups: a Hatha Yoga group, an Aerobic Exercise group, a Combined Training group, and a Control group. Standardized intervention protocols will be administered over twelve weeks under professional supervision. Physical fitness will be evaluated through flexibility, muscular endurance, body composition, and cardiorespiratory fitness assessments. Mental health outcomes will be measured using validated psychological questionnaires, while quality of life will be assessed through internationally accepted health-related quality of life instruments. The study is expected to contribute to preventive healthcare by identifying the most effective intervention for improving overall health among sedentary adults. The findings may assist healthcare professionals, exercise scientists, yoga therapists, policymakers, and workplace wellness planners in developing evidence-based lifestyle intervention programmes that integrate traditional and modern exercise approaches.