Prevalence and patterns of adult yoga use in the United States: results of a national survey.
BACKGROUND
Although yoga appears to be popular in the United States, there are no published studies on yoga's prevalence or patterns of use.


METHODS
In 1998 we surveyed by telephone a nationally representative sample of 2055 English-speaking U.S. adults (60% weighted response rate) regarding yoga use.


RESULTS
Of the respondents, 7.5% used yoga at least once in their lifetime and 3.8% used yoga in the previous 12 months. Respondents who used yoga at least once were more likely than non-users to be female (68% vs. 51%), college educated (68% vs. 45%), and urban dwellers (93% vs. 74%). Factors independently associated with yoga use at least once included female gender (OR 2.5 [95% CI 1.7-3.8]), baby boomer age group (ages 34-53) compared to pre-baby boomers (> or = 54 (2.3 [1.4-4.0]), education beyond high school (2.2 [1.4-3.5]), residing in large and small metropolitan areas compared to non-metropolitan areas (3.8 [1.8-7.8] and 2.7 [1.3-5.8], respectively), and use of other CAM therapies (5.3 [2.7-10.5]). Of respondents using yoga in the previous 12 months, 64% reported using yoga for wellness, 48% for health conditions, and 21% specifically for back or neck pain. Ninety percent felt yoga was very or somewhat helpful and 76% did not report spending money related to their yoga.


CONCLUSIONS
In 1998 an estimated 15.0 million American adults had used yoga at least once in their lifetime and 7.4 million during the previous year. Yoga was used for both wellness and specific health conditions often with perceived helpfulness and without expenditure.
Saper
Robert B
RB
Division for Research and Education in Complementary and Integrative Medical Therapies, Osher Institute, Harvard Medical School, Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
Eisenberg
David M
DM
Davis
Roger B
RB
Culpepper
Larry
L
Phillips
Russell S
RS
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D015013:Yoga