A nationwide study carried out by four academics in Australia is one of the first pieces of the research to offer a detailed outline of the many benefits of yoga to human health.

Stephen Penman and Marc Cohen from the School of Health Sciences at RMIT University in Melbourne - working with Philip Stevens from the Swan Research Institute and Sue Jackson of the School of Human Movement Studies at the University of Queensland - conducted a national survey of 3,892 yoga practitioners.

According to the study, yoga practice was seen to assist in the management of specific issues and medical conditions. Regular yoga practice may also exert a healthy lifestyle effect including vegetarianism, non-smoking, reduced alcohol consumption, increased exercise and reduced stress with resulting cost benefits to the community.

The typical yoga survey respondent was a 41-year-old, tertiary educated, employed, health-conscious female - a total of 85 per cent of the respondents were women.

Asana (postures) and vinyasa (sequences of postures) represented 61 per cent of the time spent practicing, with the other 39 per cent devoted to the gentler practices of relaxation, pranayama (breathing techniques), meditation and instruction.

The study also found that respondents commonly started practicing yoga for health and fitness but often continued practicing for stress management. One in five respondents practiced yoga for a specific health or medical reason which was seen to be improved through the activity.

More people also used yoga for stress management and anxiety than back, neck or shoulder problems, suggesting that mental health may be the primary health-related motivation for practicing yoga.

Healthy lifestyle choices were seen to be more prevalent in respondents with more years of practice. Yoga-related injuries occurring under supervision in the previous 12 months were low at 2.4 per cent of respondents.

To read the full report on the study and to find out more about the research, visit the International Journal of Yoga website.