(Newser)
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America must be getting really flexible. Some 20.4 million people practice yoga here, a study says, up from 15.8 million in 2008. That's a 29% increase, and it represents 8.7% of the adult population. What's more, some 44.4% of people who don't currently practice yoga would like to try. It's all good news for the industry, which is seeing practitioners spend $10.3 billion yearly on classes and gear—a big boost from $5.7 billion in 2008.
It's still the domain of women, who make up some 82.2% of yoga practitioners, while 17.8% are men. More than 60% are between the ages of 18 and 44. Flexibility is the leading reason for getting involved, followed by "general conditioning" and easing stress, Yoga Journal notes. Click through for more stats from the study.
