Mind-body practices in U.S. adults: Prevalence and correlates

Objectives:
Mind-body practices (MBP), such as Yoga or Tai-Chi, have increased in popularity in the past 25 years in the US. These activities may help promote a less sedentary lifestyle and may have positive effects on health. The objective of the present study is to understand the prevalence and trends of MBP in US adults and the factors associated with their use in a population-based adult lifespan sample.

Methods:
We used data from three waves of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) survey (1995, 2005, and 2015), a population-based longitudinal study of community-dwelling adults. Only data from participants with valid observations across three waves (N = 2262) aged 24-74 years at baseline (M = 46; SD = 11) were used. We examined the prevalence of MBP, longitudinal patterns, and correlates of MBP use over 20 years.

Results:
Rates of MBP use were relatively stable over time in this sample, with 20%, 17%, and 18% of participants using MBP at wave 1, 2, and 3, respectively. A number of sociodemographic and health variables were independently related to frequency of MBP use over 20 years: Women, participants with higher levels of education, never married participants, and participants who suffered from multiple chronic health conditions were more likely to use MBP.

Discussion:
Our findings suggest that MBP may provide an opportunity for physical activity for individuals suffering from chronic health conditions. More research is needed to understand whether this, in turn, results in better health outcomes for these individuals.

Keywords: Health outcomes; MIDUS; Mind-body practice; Physical activity; Yoga.

PMID: 32951750 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102501