Thou Shalt Be Overweight: Religious Involvement Correlated to Obesity

[44Foxtrot]

A new study from Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine says religiousness and overeating are linked: Study participants who reported attending church weekly, or more frequently, were almost twice as likely to be obese than those who went rarely or never.

A article describing the study can be found here.

[LDS Guy 1986]

A article describing the study can be found here.

That's the same school that does live sex shows also isn't it?

[mercyngrace]

Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. ~ Isaiah 55:2

But blessed are the poor who are pure in heart, whose hearts are broken, and whose spirits are contrite, for they shall see the kingdom of God coming in power and great glory unto their deliverance; for the fatness of the earth shall be theirs. ~ D&C 56:18

[44Foxtrot]

Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. ~ Isaiah 55:2

But blessed are the poor who are pure in heart, whose hearts are broken, and whose spirits are contrite, for they shall see the kingdom of God coming in power and great glory unto their deliverance; for the fatness of the earth shall be theirs. ~ D&C 56:18

Great.

(I am rapidly becoming another fan of your posts.)

[MorningStar]

It's those potlucks! I guess we should be drinking 2% milk.

[bookofmormontruth]

A article describing the study can be found here.

It doesn't surprise me. Food can be a comfort drug.

Most of the world will go drown their sorrows and cope from stress with alcohol and drugs, but most religious folks refrain.

The LDS population also has an obesity problem just like the entire nation with the same problems and stressors. We like our food and most of it is unhealthy including "it does a body good".

[The Nehor]

Well, if they rise the same way they fell then they will either have to work it off in the next life or be fat forever.

Verily, I say unto you, they have their reward.

[Gohan]

You had to post that right when I ordered a large pizza...didn't you... ;-P

[BCSpace]

And I am always suggesting we replace most home teaching with a Ward potluck after the block on Fast Sunday......

[The Nehor]

You had to post that right when I ordered a large pizza...didn't you... ;-P

As someone who is cooking one right now I sympathize. But I ran this morning so I think I'm okay.

[LDS Guy 1986]

It doesn't surprise me. Food can be a comfort drug.

Most of the world will go drown their sorrows and cope from stress with alcohol and drugs, but most religious folks refrain.

The LDS population also has an obesity problem just like the entire nation with the same problems and stressors. We like our food and most of it is unhealthy including "it does a body good".

One day people might finally see the light, being overweight has far more to do with genetics than lifestyle, I am overweight by the BMI standards but I am still highly active and very healthy. The important thing to remember is that the BMI was made by insurance brokers not doctors, and has no science behind it at all.

Also let's look at this realistically and logically, and try and find the potential third factor that makes this correlation possible without religion making people fat.

We also have studies that say religions is not catching on with the youth as well as in the past, so we have an aging population that regularly attends religious services.

What also tends to increase with age, one might ask?

One's weight, the Study is trying to establish a cause of obesity that doesn't exist, it is easily explained by the other demographics that are showing up within people who actively attend religious services.

This is the unscientific junk you get when you allow anti-religious people at liberal universities to do studies that involve religion, IMO.

[bu11fr0g]

The obesity epidemic concurrent with the decline in religiousness imply the opposite.

Studies will tend to interpret these kinds of findings as a causal link, but most like it is either a type 1 error or confounded variables.

One day people might finally see the light, being overweight has far more to do with genetics than lifestyle, I am overweight by the BMI standards but I am still highly active and very healthy. The important thing to remember is that the BMI was made by insurance brokers not doctors, and has no science behind it at all.

Also let's look at this realistically and logically, and try and find the potential third factor that makes this correlation possible without religion making people fat.

We also have studies that say religions is not catching on with the youth as well as in the past, so we have an aging population that regularly attends religious services.

What also tends to increase with age, one might ask?

One's weight, the Study is trying to establish a cause of obesity that doesn't exist, it is easily explained by the other demographics that are showing up within people who actively attend religious services.

This is the unscientific junk you get when you allow anti-religious people at liberal universities to do studies that involve religion, IMO.

[Hamba Tuhan]

Clearly, this must be why Utah ranks 44th overall amongst American states when it comes to obesity: Link.

[Hamba Tuhan]

Here's the map if people would prefer just skipping right to that:

[volgadon]

Hamba, must be all those apostates going on diets.

[The Nehor]

There is a simple solution to obesity but we seem unwilling to follow through:

http://www.theonion.com/video/in-the-know-should-we-be-shaming-obese-children-mo,14157/

[Deborah]

I've lived in the midwest and the south and people are definitely more overweight than they are in the west.

But you know we Mormons are a food loving society. VT's often bring treats. we have meals for RS and refreshments after Firesides. I suppose with no smoking or drinking you have to have something you enjoy putting in your mouth.

[Mudcat]

Here's the map if people would prefer just skipping right to that:

Well at least we Mississippians scored first in something for a change.

Things must be looking up.

edit add..

Got Cornbread?

[44Foxtrot]

One day people might finally see the light, being overweight has far more to do with genetics than lifestyle, I am overweight by the BMI standards but I am still highly active and very healthy. The important thing to remember is that the BMI was made by insurance brokers not doctors, and has no science behind it at all.

Also let's look at this realistically and logically, and try and find the potential third factor that makes this correlation possible without religion making people fat.

We also have studies that say religions is not catching on with the youth as well as in the past, so we have an aging population that regularly attends religious services.

What also tends to increase with age, one might ask?

One's weight, the Study is trying to establish a cause of obesity that doesn't exist, it is easily explained by the other demographics that are showing up within people who actively attend religious services.

This is the unscientific junk you get when you allow anti-religious people at liberal universities to do studies that involve religion, IMO.

LDS Guy 1986,

These are data from the CARDIA prospective epidmiologic study. Before you call it unscientific junk, you might want to first determine what a prospective epidmiologic study really is. If and when you do, you will realize that a study that follows more than > 2400 individuals over 25 years has tremendous statistical power. In fact, such as study design is about as far as one can get from "unscientific junk" when it comes to epidemiology.

The links should be intact in the quote box below. You can check out the CARDIA study for yourself. Once you read about the CARDIA stury, I would be interested in your views as to why you think this is "unscientific junk".

March 24th, 201110:18 AM ET Young, religiously active people are more likely than their non-religious counterparts to become obese in middle age, according to new research. In fact, frequent religious involvement appears to almost double the risk of obesity compared with little or no involvement.What is unclear from the new research is why religion might be associated with overeating.

"Churches pay more attention to obvious vices like smoking or drinking," said Matthew Feinstein, lead author of the research and fourth-year medical student at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "Our best guess about why is that...more frequent participation in church is associated with good works and people may be rewarding themselves with large meals that are more caloric in nature than we would like."

The new research, presented at an American Heart Association conference dedicated to physical activity, metabolism and cardiovascular disease, involved 2,433 people enrolled in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. The group was tested - at first between 20 and 32 years old - for various cardiovascular disease risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, and smoking. Those same tests were repeated in the same group over the next 25 years.

[Jigglysaint]

I've lived in the midwest and the south and people are definitely more overweight than they are in the west.

But you know we Mormons are a food loving society. VT's often bring treats. we have meals for RS and refreshments after Firesides. I suppose with no smoking or drinking you have to have something you enjoy putting in your mouth.

For me it tends to be my foot. Heck knows how I got to be so fat with it stuck in there for so long.

[The Nehor]

For me it tends to be my foot. Heck knows how I got to be so fat with it stuck in there for so long.

Probably the best solution. It cuts down on food intake and increases flexibility.

[Chris Smith]

Did they control for region? That map makes me think the problem may be Southern cooking.

On the other hand, religiosity correlates strongly with marriage and number of children. Parents tend to put on weight after having a kid or two. Married people also have less motivation to watch their diet, since they're not actively seeking a sexual partner. I'm guessing this explains most of the variance.

On the other hand, it's remarkable that Utah is so skinny given how many kids Mormons tend to have. I'd say Word of Wisdom observance has worked out pretty well for them.

[oats]

Utah is consistently the lowest in childhood obesity/overweight %.

http://www.ncsl.org/?tabid=13877

[Jeff K.]

Foxtrot, I believe conflates religion with region with Mormonism.

Consider that the south east is more heavily religious than other regions. Its culture also lends itself to fried foods. Allow me to add, having traveled through Mississippi, that the food is wonderful, and not very good for you, and the people are very religious.

Foxtrot implies Mormonism with its word of Wisdom is no better than any other religion and so uses his normal broad brush attacks to imply Mormons are fat and therefore in his implication, substandard.

I would argue that the study, at least as presented by foxtrot, is insufficiently nuanced to take into account cultural standards of food. Given that Foxtrot provides no link, not parameters for the study, nothing to note the obvious distinction of Utah in regards to their lower standards, it appears to be just another thoughtless driveby posting.

[bookofmormontruth]

One day people might finally see the light, being overweight has far more to do with genetics than lifestyle, I am overweight by the BMI standards but I am still highly active and very healthy. The important thing to remember is that the BMI was made by insurance brokers not doctors, and has no science behind it at all.

Also let's look at this realistically and logically, and try and find the potential third factor that makes this correlation possible without religion making people fat.

We also have studies that say religions is not catching on with the youth as well as in the past, so we have an aging population that regularly attends religious services.

What also tends to increase with age, one might ask?

One's weight, the Study is trying to establish a cause of obesity that doesn't exist, it is easily explained by the other demographics that are showing up within people who actively attend religious services.

This is the unscientific junk you get when you allow anti-religious people at liberal universities to do studies that involve religion, IMO.

We just have to be honest with ourselves, eating unhealthy foods with no exercise - you will probably gain weight. But even more than genetics, toxins (heavy metals, solvents, pesticides) are more of a factor in keeping the weight on.

Especially if a person is trying to do everything possible to lose weight, but they just plateau and can't drop the weight.

My mentor and pioneer in environmental medicine just came out with a book on this subject if anyone is interested. Excellent read on a new perspective on health. My link