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55 mn Americans could be doing asanas by 2020 as Yoga becomes big in US

The US yoga industry's revenue is projected to increase from around $7 billion in 2012 to about $11.6 billion by 2020

Photo: iStock
Photo: iStock
BS Reporter New Delhi
4 min read Last Updated : Jun 21 2019 | 5:56 PM IST
Yoga is big business in the US and it's showing no signs of slowing down in this growth market. Data from Statista show that the US yoga industry's revenue is projected to reach about $11.6 billion by 2020, up from around $7 billion in 2012.

Four successful iterations of the International Yoga Day — the fifth one is underway today — might have driven home Yoga's growing popularity globally. But the numbers the yoga industry commands in the world's largest economy, the US, might come as a surprise to Indians, many of whom associate Yoga and big money only in the context of Baba Ramdev.

Yoga's growing popularity in the US

The 2016 Yoga in America Study, conducted by the Yoga Journal and Yoga Alliance in partnership with Ipsos Public Affairs, had found that Yoga was gaining popularity, with the number of American yoga practitioners increasing to over 36 million in 2016 from 20.4 million in 2012. Further, it found that 28 per cent of all Americans had taken a yoga class at some point in their lives.

The study also reported that 34 per cent of Americans — more than 80 million people — had said they were somewhat or very likely to practise yoga in the following 12 months. While the last part might not sound definitive, the number of yoga practitioners in the US is clearly set to grow, if not by that quantum.

Data from Statista show that the number of yoga practitioners in the US is forecast to grow to around 55 million by 2020.

Given that US Census Bureau data project that the country's population would be around 332.64 million by 2020, this would amount to about 16.5 per cent of all Americans doing yoga in some form or another by that time.

Yoga is there to stay in the US

That's not all. It isn't just a fad; it appears to be a sustained health and lifestyle choice of many. A survey on the yoga trends and habits of 2,000 Americans, conducted by Eventbrite and OnePoll, showed that 67 per cent of people had tried out yoga before. Further, 64 per cent wanted to practise more in 2019 than they did in 2018.

Yoga isn't even being treated as just 'soft exercise' to be done as a brief warmup before the real workout. The same study showed that among the top five reasons respondents practised yoga, releasing tension was on top, followed by getting stronger physically and mentally, reducing stress, feeling happier, and working out — in that order.

In fact, the American College of Sports Medicine's Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2019 ranked yoga seventh on a list of 'Top 20 Worldwide Fitness Trends for 2019'.

The survey also made a clear distinction between what is a "fad" — a fashion taken up with great enthusiasm for a brief period — and a "trend", or general development or change in a situation or in the way people behave.

How much do Americans spend on Yoga?

The larger yoga business in the US isn't just limited to gyms, studios or individuals offering classes. Associated industries selling yoga clothing and accessories appear to also be making a killing.

The 2016 Yoga in America Study found that yoga practitioners had spent over $16 billion on yoga clothing, equipment, classes and accessories in 2015, compared with $10 billion in 2012.

The Eventbrite and OnePoll survey found that in a lifetime, an average American yogi spends $62,640 on yoga, $28,800 of that on yoga classes and $33,840 on yoga equipment and apparel.