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Practising yoga may be the key to a better self-image and eliminating eating disorders in women, according to a new U.S. study.

The study, performed by researchers at the University of California, found that women who practised yoga regularly had better self-images and fewer eating disorders, than those who kept in shape through traditional aerobic activities, like jogging or cardio-machines.

Researchers performed two independent studies on three groups of women; those who currently attended yoga classes, those who did aerobic exercise, and those who had not done any yoga or aerobic exercise in the previous two years. The women were asked to fill out questionnaires, which asked them questions about their self-image and eating habits.

Regardless of age, the yoga practitioners reported less self-objectification, a better self-image, and fewer eating disorders than those who did not practise yoga, according to the report.

In addition, the study also found the more hours a women practised yoga per day, the more likely they were to have a positive self-image and healthy eating habits.

“Through yoga, this study suggests that women may have intuitively discovered a way to buffer themselves against messages that tell them that only a thin and ‘beautiful' body will lead to happiness and success,” the author of the study, Jennifer Daubenmier, said.

In the study, which was published in the latest issue of Psychology of Women Quarterly, Ms. Daubenmier argues that the heightened awareness to the body achieved through yoga allows for less of a preoccupation with physical appearance, more positive views of the body, and healthier eating habits.