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Religion and body weight.

K H Kim1, J Sobal, E Wethington

  • 1Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithica, NY 14853, USA. khk4@cornell.edu

International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders : Journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity
|March 29, 2003
PubMed
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Religious affiliation is linked to higher body weight in men, particularly conservative Protestants. However, no significant religion-body weight link was found in women, with smoking rates influencing other observed associations.

Area of Science:

  • Sociology
  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Religion and spirituality are recognized as significant factors influencing health behaviors and outcomes.
  • Previous research has explored the complex interplay between religious beliefs and various health indicators, including body weight.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between religious affiliation and body weight in a diverse US adult population.
  • To determine if gender moderates the relationship between religion and body mass index (BMI).

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of data from 3,032 adults (aged 25-74) participating in the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS).
  • Data collection involved telephone and postal questionnaires, assessing religious denomination, body weight (BMI), and sociodemographic factors.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Statistical analyses were conducted to identify significant relationships, controlling for potential confounders like smoking and sociodemographic variables.

    • Main Results:

    • A significant positive association was observed between religious denomination and higher body weight in men. Conservative Protestant men exhibited a higher mean body mass index (BMI) compared to men with no religious affiliation.
    • Initial significant relationships between other religiosity variables and greater body weight in men became nonsignificant after controlling for smoking.
    • No statistically significant relationships were found between religion and body weight among women in the study sample.

    Conclusions:

    • Religious denomination is a significant correlate of body weight in men, suggesting potential gender-specific influences of religion on health.
    • The observed association between religiosity and higher BMI in men may be partially explained by lower smoking rates among more religious individuals.
    • Further research is warranted to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the relationship between religion, smoking behaviors, and body weight in different populations.