TL;DR
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An Arizona State University study of more than 55,000 U.S. adults found yoga and Pilates were each associated with a lower risk of death during roughly a decade of follow-up. The observational findings do not prove that either practice extends lifespan, and the researchers said other differences between practitioners and non-practitioners may help explain the results.
Researchers at Arizona State University found that adults who reported practicing yoga or Pilates had a lower risk of death during about a decade of follow-up than people who did not report those practices. The analysis covered more than 55,000 U.S. adults and examined 21 alternative health practices, but it shows an association—not proof that yoga or Pilates causes people to live longer.
Using nationally representative data linked to mortality records, the researchers reported that yoga practice was associated with a 27% lower risk of death, while Pilates practice was associated with a 36% lower risk. The source account does not provide the study’s full methods, the exact measurement period for each estimate, or details of the comparison groups, so those figures should be read as associations reported in the analysis rather than guaranteed reductions in an individual’s risk.
Of the 21 alternative health practices examined, yoga and Pilates were the only two that the researchers identified as significantly associated with lower mortality. That result does not mean the other practices were shown to be harmful, nor does it establish that yoga and Pilates outperform conventional exercise. The supplied report does not list all 21 practices or provide their individual estimates.
The study authors accounted for several factors, including income, education, exercise, smoking, body mass index and self-rated health, according to the report. Statistical adjustment can reduce the influence of measured differences, but it cannot rule out effects from factors the researchers did not measure or fully capture.
Movement Practices Show a Longevity Signal
The findings add population-level evidence to public interest in yoga and Pilates, practices that combine physical movement with other features such as balance work and breath-focused instruction. They also highlight how little long-term evidence may be available for many wellness practices marketed around health and longevity. For readers, the central point is that the study found a pattern worth investigating, not a prescription or a promise of longer life.
Study co-author and Arizona State University associate professor Connor Sheehan said the strongest longevity signal among the practices examined came from forms of physical movement. He also pointed to possible benefits involving strength, balance, cardiovascular fitness, stress reduction and social connection in classes. Those explanations are plausible pathways raised by the researcher, but the reported analysis does not establish which, if any, account for the mortality association.
The findings may draw attention to yoga and Pilates as the fitness and wellness market grows. Market forecasts cited by Athletech News put the Pilates and yoga market at $521 billion by 2035; that is a projection, not a finding from the mortality study. The research itself does not measure market demand, the cost of participation or whether taking classes produces different outcomes from practicing alone.
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What the Study Compared
The research responds to a gap between widespread use of complementary and alternative health practices and limited evidence about their relationship to long-term survival. Sheehan told Athletech News that more than 40% of U.S. adults use at least one such practice, citing examples that include acupuncture, chiropractic care and specialized diets. That figure describes use of at least one practice; it is not a measure of yoga or Pilates participation.
Researchers used a large U.S. adult dataset and linked participants’ information to mortality records over about a decade. This type of observational analysis can identify whether a behavior and an outcome occur together across a population. It cannot, by itself, show that the behavior caused the outcome, because participants were not randomly assigned to practice yoga or Pilates.
The report also places the findings alongside a rapidly changing wellness landscape, including practices such as cold plunges, red-light therapy and specialized supplements. Sheehan argued that these behaviors deserve further study. The article does not report that those practices were tested in this analysis, so they should not be treated as covered by its results.
“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, as quoted by Athletech News
Causation and Other Factors
The key limitation is that the analysis found an association, not causation. It cannot show whether yoga or Pilates reduced participants’ risk of death, whether people in better health were more likely to practice, or whether both explanations contributed. The researchers adjusted for several characteristics, but the report says other influences could include health-care access, genetics and economic circumstances, as well as differences in health-conscious behavior.
The source account does not provide the study’s title, publication details, exact years of data collection, participant demographics, frequency or duration of practice, or the statistical confidence intervals around the estimates. It also does not explain whether results varied by age, health status or type of yoga or Pilates. Those details would be needed to assess how precise and broadly applicable the reported associations are.
It is also unclear from the account whether the researchers tested the proposed roles of stress reduction, physical fitness or community participation directly. Those were explanations offered by Sheehan, not confirmed findings of the mortality analysis. The results should not be read as evidence that people should replace medical care or other forms of exercise with either practice.
Further Research on Wellness Practices
The immediate next step is closer scrutiny of the full study methods and results, including how participants’ practice was measured and how the mortality estimates were calculated. Further research could test whether the association persists in other populations and whether outcomes differ according to practice frequency, duration, class participation or participants’ health before beginning.
Sheehan called for more investigation into wellness behaviors that have grown in popularity, including practices not necessarily covered by this analysis. For now, the findings offer a reason for researchers to study yoga and Pilates further; they do not establish a lifespan benefit. People making decisions about exercise or health care should discuss individual medical concerns with a qualified health professional.
Key Questions
Did the study prove yoga or Pilates makes people live longer?
No. It found that reported practice was associated with lower mortality risk in an observational analysis. The study, as described in the source, cannot establish that the practices caused the difference.
What lower risks did the researchers report?
The report gives a 27% lower risk of death associated with yoga and a 36% lower risk associated with Pilates. These are study estimates, not predictions of how much an individual’s risk would change.
How many practices did the researchers examine?
The Arizona State University researchers examined 21 alternative health practices. Yoga and Pilates were the only two reported as significantly associated with lower mortality in this analysis.
What could explain the association besides the practices themselves?
Participants may differ in health, income, health-care access or other characteristics. Sheehan also raised the possibility that people who are already too unwell to practice may be less represented among practitioners. The analysis adjusted for several factors but could not rule out all such differences.
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