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An analysis of data from more than 55,000 U.S. adults found yoga and Pilates were associated with lower risk of death over about a decade. The study does not show that either practice causes people to live longer, and researchers say other differences between practitioners and non-practitioners may help explain the results.
Researchers at Arizona State University reported an association between yoga or Pilates and lower risks of death in an analysis of more than 55,000 U.S. adults. The results, reported by Athletech News, show an association rather than proof that either practice extends lifespan.
The researchers examined 21 alternative health practices using nationally representative data on U.S. adults linked to mortality records over about a decade. Of those practices, yoga and Pilates were the only ones associated with a significantly lower risk of death, according to the report. The analysis reported a 27% lower risk for yoga and a 36% lower risk for Pilates, as described in the source report.
The researchers accounted for several factors, including income, education, exercise, smoking, body mass index and self-rated health. Adjusting for those characteristics does not rule out other explanations. The report notes that the findings do not establish whether yoga or Pilates itself accounts for the difference in mortality risk.
Study co-author Connor Sheehan, an associate professor at ASU, said the finding stood out because the two practices are based on movement. He also cautioned that people who are already seriously ill may be less able to take part, which could make the practices appear protective. Other possible influences include access to health care, genetics and economic circumstances.
Movement Practices Stand Out
The study adds population-level evidence to a field where long-term health claims around complementary and alternative practices have not been well established. Its finding is narrower than a recommendation that people take up yoga or Pilates to live longer: it identifies an association in the data, not a demonstrated cause-and-effect relationship.
For readers, the results may help distinguish practices with a reported mortality association from other approaches examined in the same analysis. They do not show that yoga or Pilates is more effective than other forms of physical activity, nor do they establish a specific routine, class frequency or duration linked to the finding. Sheehan described possible benefits of the practices that extend beyond movement, including strength, balance, breath work, stress management and social connection. Those points offer possible explanations, not proof of the mechanism behind the mortality result.
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A Review of 21 Practices
The research responds to widespread use of complementary and alternative health practices alongside limited evidence about their relationship to long-term mortality. Sheehan said more than 40% of U.S. adults use at least one such practice, a category that ranges from acupuncture and chiropractic care to specialized diets. The study examined 21 practices rather than testing a single yoga or Pilates program in a controlled trial.
The source report also describes a growing commercial market for yoga and Pilates, citing a projection that the sector could reach $521 billion in market value by 2035. That forecast is market context, not a finding of the mortality study. The research does not assess the industry’s value, nor does it show that market growth reflects proven health effects.
“Maybe the sickest people are too unhealthy to do yoga or Pilates to begin with, so the practice looks protective when really it’s just excluding the least healthy.”
— Connor Sheehan
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Association Is Not Causation
The analysis does not establish that yoga or Pilates caused lower mortality, and the available report does not provide enough detail to assess every aspect of the study design. The reported percentages should be read as associations within this analysis, not as guaranteed reductions in an individual’s risk.
Researchers also cannot rule out unmeasured differences between people who practice yoga or Pilates and those who do not. Sheehan mentioned health-care access, genetics and economic status, as well as the possibility that healthier people are more able to participate. The report does not establish whether the findings apply equally across different populations.
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Further Studies Needed
Further research could test whether the association holds across different populations. Studies examining specific mechanisms could also help determine whether movement, stress management, social connection or other factors contribute to the observed pattern.
Sheehan said researchers should study the wellness behaviors people are adopting as they change, including practices such as cold plunging, red-light therapy and supplements. Until stronger evidence is available, the reported findings remain a reason to investigate yoga and Pilates further—not proof that either practice extends life.
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Key Questions
What did the study find about yoga and Pilates?
In an analysis of more than 55,000 U.S. adults, yoga was associated with a 27% lower risk of death and Pilates with a 36% lower risk. The analysis covered mortality records over about a decade and examined 21 alternative health practices.
Does the study prove that yoga or Pilates makes people live longer?
No. The findings show an association, not cause and effect. The researchers could not rule out other differences between practitioners and non-practitioners that may have affected the results.
Which other practices were examined?
The study examined 21 alternative health practices. According to the source report, only yoga and Pilates were associated with a significantly lower risk of death. The report mentions categories such as acupuncture, chiropractic care and specialized diets but does not provide a full list of all 21.
Does the study say how often someone should practice?
No recommended frequency or duration is provided in the source material. The reported analysis does not establish a particular class schedule or amount of practice linked to lower mortality risk.
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