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YTQYOGYR
Practiced yoga, past 12 months
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Description

YTQYOGYR reports whether the person had practiced yoga in the past 12 months. Please see the Comparability and Universe Tabs for information on changes to the universe of this variable over time.

Yoga, Tai chi, and Qi gong were one of many alternative health treatment modalities included in the Complementary and Alternative Health Supplements.

Definitions 

The 2002 Field Representative's Manual provides the following definition:

Yoga, practiced for over 5,000 years, combines breathing exercises, physical postures, and meditation to calm the nervous system and balance body, mind, and spirit. It is thought to prevent specific diseases and maladies by keeping the energy meridians [see ACUYR] open and life energy (qi) flowing. Usually performed in classes, sessions are conducted once a week or more and roughly last 45 minutes. Yoga has been used to lower blood pressure, reduce stress, and improve coordination, flexibility, concentration, sleep, and digestion. It has also been used as supplementary therapy for such diverse conditions as cancer, diabetes, asthma, and AIDS.

This definition was not routinely shared with respondents.

Beginning in 2007, the Field Representative's Manual provides a truncated version of that definition:

Yoga combines breathing exercises, physical postures, and meditation to calm the nervous system and balance body, mind, and spirit. Usually performed in classes, sessions are conducted once a week or more and roughly last 45 minutes.

In 2007 and later years, field representatives were advised to "feel free to offer [this definition] even if the respondent has not requested [it]."

Related Variables

In some years, additional information about use of yoga was collected for respondents who reported practicing yoga in the past 12 months, including variables on frequency of practice, whether or not any conventional medical treatments were used, and the reason for using yoga.

Comparability

Aside from slight changes in the universe, this variable is comparable over time.

Sample Adults
In 2002, 2007, and 2012, sample adults 18 and older were first asked whether they had ever practiced yoga (YTQYOGAEV) and, for those who indicated that they had, YTQYOGYR records whether they had practiced yoga in the past 12 months. In 2017, the initial question asking about whether sample adults had ever practiced yoga was not asked. Instead, all sample adults aged 18 and older were asked whether they had practiced yoga in the past 12 months.

Sample Children
In 2007, sample children were added to the universe for this question. In 2007 and 2017, the person responding for the sample child was asked whether the child had practiced yoga in the past 12 months. In 2012, the respondent was first asked whether the sample child had ever practiced yoga and then asked whether the child had practiced yoga in the past 12 months. In 2007, respondents for sample children under age 18 were asked about yoga, and in 2012 and 2017 respondents for sample children aged 4 and older were asked about yoga.

Universe

  • 2002: Sample adults age 18+ who have ever practiced yoga for their own health.
  • 2007: Sample adults age 18+ who have ever practiced yoga and sample children under 18.
  • 2012: Sample adults age 18+ and sample children age 4+ who have ever practiced yoga.
  • 2017: Sample adults age 18+ and sample children age 4+.

Availability

  • 2002, 2007, 2012, 2017

Weights