Cagas, Jonathan Y. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0233-4023 and Biddle, Stuart J. H.
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7663-6895 and Vergeer, Ineke
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6560-9023
(2020)
When an activity is more than just exercise: a scoping review of facilitators and barriers for yoga participation.
International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology.
ISSN 1750-984X
Abstract
Barriers and facilitators for participating in sports and exercise may vary across different types of activities. Yoga, a comprehensive discipline originating in India, has increasingly gained a place among the physical activities on offer in modern-day society, where it is usually practiced in the form of physical postures, breath regulation and relaxation. Despite its increasing popularity and many potential health benefits, the uptake of yoga is quite low and appears mostly restricted to certain population subgroups. To elucidate factors affecting uptake, this scoping review aims to identify the range of facilitators and barriers for yoga participation in the general adult population. Eighty-eight studies mentioning factors facilitating or hindering yoga participation were identified from 10 electronic databases. Findings corresponding to study and participant characteristics were summarised quantitatively, while findings referring to facilitators and barriers were organised qualitatively using thematic analysis. Results identified facilitators and barriers in addition to those reported for conventional forms of physical activity (e.g. perceived mind–body-spiritual benefits, negative impressions of yoga). These may reflect additional features of yoga beyond exercise and will need further exploration. Understanding the different facilitators and barriers for yoga participation may be useful to enhance the promotion of yoga and consequently increase its uptake.
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