Here are some of the highlights from the 2016 Yoga in America Study, conducted by Yoga Alliance and Yoga Journal:
“Who Practices Yoga?
- There are 36.7 million U.S. yoga practitioners, up from 20.4 million in 2012
- Practitioners are significantly more involved in many other forms of exercise such as running, cycling and weightlifting, than non-practitioners
- 74 percent of American practitioners have been doing yoga for five or fewer years
- The top five reasons for starting yoga are: flexibility (61 percent); stress relief (56 percent); general fitness (49 percent); improve overall health (49 percent) and physical fitness (44 percent)
- 86 percent of practitioners self-report having a strong sense of mental clarity, 73 percent report being physically strong and 79 percent give back to their communities – all significantly higher rates than non-practitioners
- Women represent 72 percent of practitioners, compared to 28 percent of men”
