Effect of a School-Based Yoga Intervention on Behavioral Intention and Yoga Practice Among Secondary School Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study in Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: School-based yoga interventions may provide an opportunity to promote healthy behaviors among adolescents by improving yoga-related knowledge, motivation, and engagement in regular practice. However, evidence regarding changes in yoga-related behavioral outcomes following school-based interventions among Nepalese secondary school students remains unexplored. So, this study aims to evaluate whether a 4-week structured school-based yoga intervention changes yoga-related knowledge, behavioral intention to practice yoga, and self-reported yoga practice among secondary school students, compared with a non-intervention group. METHODS: A quasi-experimental pre-post study used multistage random sampling to select one intervention school (n = 102) and two comparison schools (n = 204; total N = 306, grades 9-12) in Kirtipur Municipality, Nepal. The intervention comprised 4 weekly 45 min sessions of asanas, pranayama, and meditation, delivered by a certified trainer. Data were collected via a pretested, researcher-developed questionnaire and analyzed in SPSS v25 using chi-square and McNemar's tests. RESULTS: Groups were comparable at baseline on ever-practiced status and intention (p ≥ 0.139), despite widespread awareness of yoga (96.4%), but limited knowledge of specific types (33.2%). Post-intervention, the intervention group showed significant gains in knowledge of yoga types (19.6% → 89.2%), contraindications (12.7% → 41.2%), ever-practiced status (52.9% → 95.1%), and intention (22.5% → 70.6%; all p < 0.001), while the comparison group improved only in knowledge, with no significant change in practice (53.4% → 57.4%, p = 0.484) or intention (31.4% → 30.4%, p = 0.912). CONCLUSION: A structured, instructor-led school yoga program can shift short-term yoga knowledge and intention in school settings; whether this translates into sustained practice or broader health benefits requires further study.