Participation trends in holistic movement practices: a 10-year comparison of yoga/Pilates and t'ai chi/qigong use among a national sample of 195,926 Australians.


Author: Vergeer I1,2, Bennie JA3,4, Charity MJ4,5, Harvey JT4,5, van Uffelen JGZ4,6, Biddle SJH3,4, Eime RM4,5

Affiliation: <sup>1</sup>Institute for Resilient Regions, University of Southern Queensland, Springfield Campus, PO Box 4393, Raceview, QLD, 4305, Australia. ineke.vergeer@usq.edu.au.

<sup>2</sup>Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living (ISEAL), Active Living & Public Health Program, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. ineke.vergeer@usq.edu.au.

<sup>3</sup>Institute for Resilient Regions, University of Southern Queensland, Springfield Campus, PO Box 4393, Raceview, QLD, 4305, Australia.

<sup>4</sup>Institute of Sport, Exercise and Active Living (ISEAL), Active Living & Public Health Program, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

<sup>5</sup>Faculty of Health, Federation University Australia, Ballarat, VIC, Australia.

<sup>6</sup>Department of Kinesiology, Physical Activity, Sports and Health Research Group, KU Leuven - University of Leuven, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium.
Conference/Journal: BMC Complement Altern Med.
Date published: 2017 Jun 6
Other:
 Volume ID: 17   ,  Issue ID: 1   ,  Pages: 296   ,  Special Notes: doi: 10.1186/s12906-017-1800-6.   ,  Word Count: 369  
    BACKGROUND: In recent decades, the evidence supporting the physical and mental health benefits of holistic movement practices such as yoga and t'ai chi have become increasingly established. Consequently, investigating the participation prevalence and patterns of these practices is a relevant pursuit in the public health field. Few studies have provided population-level assessment of participation rates, however, and even fewer have focused on patterns over time. The purpose of this study was to examine participation prevalence and trends in yoga/Pilates and t'ai chi/qigong over a ten-year period in a nationally representative sample of Australians aged 15 years and over, with particular attention to sex and age. A secondary purpose was to juxtapose these findings with participation trends in traditional fitness activities over the same period.



METHODS: Data comprised modes and types of physical activity, age, and sex variables collected through the Exercise, Recreation and Sport Survey (ERASS), a series of independent cross-sectional Australia-wide surveys conducted yearly between 2001 and 2010. For each year, weighted population estimates were calculated for those participating in yoga/Pilates, t'ai chi/qigong, and fitness activities (e.g. aerobics, calisthenics). Linear regression and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine trends in prevalence rates over time and differences among sex and age (15-34; 35-54; 55+ years) groups, respectively.



RESULTS: Average prevalence rates between 2001 and 2010 were 3.0% (95% CI 2.9-3.1) for yoga/Pilates, 0.6% (95% CI 0.5-0.6) for t'ai chi/qigong, and 19.2% (95% CI 18.9-19.4) for fitness activities. Across the decade, overall participation rates remained relatively stable for yoga/Pilates and t'ai chi/qigong, while increasing linearly for fitness activities. For both genders and in all three age groups, participation in fitness activities increased, whereas only in the 55+ age group was there a significant increase in yoga/Pilates participation; participation in t'ai chi/qigong declined significantly in the two younger age groups.



CONCLUSIONS: Participation rates in yoga/Pilates and t'ai chi/qigong in Australia were low and relatively stable. As fitness activities increased in popularity across the decade, holistic movement practices did not. These findings point to the need to investigate activity-specific barriers and facilitators to participation, including intrapersonal, interpersonal, organisational, and environmental factors.



KEYWORDS: Holistic; Mind-body; Participation prevalence; Physical activity surveillance; Pilates; Qigong; Tai chi; Yoga



PMID: 28587599  DOI: 10.1186/s12906-017-1800-6