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Yoga use prevalence increases significantly in recent years

The prevalence of yoga use in the United States has increased significantly compared with previous decades, according to data published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Holger Cramer, PhD, director of yoga research, department of internal and integrative medicine, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, and colleagues also reported specific associations they found in their research.

The researchers analyzed data from the 2012 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS; n = 34,525 adults), specifically from the Family Core, Sample Adult Core, and Adult Complementary and Alternative Medicine questionnaire.

Results showed that lifetime prevalence of yoga use was 13.2% vs. 7.5% in a 1998 survey. Additionally, 12-month prevalence of yoga use was 8.9% vs. 6.1% in the 2007 NHIS and 5.1% in the 2002 NHIS.

Cramer and colleagues noted that respondents practiced yoga to improve general wellness or general disease prevention (78.4%), energy (66.1%) or immune function (49.7%). Specifically, respondents who practiced yoga did so most often for back pain (19.7%), stress (6.4%) and arthritis (6.4%).

Respondents indicated improvements in stress (84.7%), overall health (81%), emotional well-being (67.5%), sleep (59.1%) and sense of control over their health (56.9%) due to their yoga practice.

"The number of yoga practitioners in the U.S. general population has increased substantially in recent years," Cramer and colleagues wrote. "The findings of this study warrant the attention of policymakers responsible for supporting population health, as well as primary care practitioners, yoga specialists and consumers. Continued research attention regarding the clinical benefits of yoga is clearly justified." – by Chelsea Frajerman Pardes

Disclosure: Cramer reports receiving writing fees from the German Association of Yoga Teachers.