Posted on 03/25/2011 4:01:44 PM PDT by DBCJR
Maybe it's all the church socials, but a new study finds that those who attend religious activities are more likely to gain weight than those who don't go to church as often.
Religious involvement is linked to many positive health outcomes, such as happiness, lower rates of smoking and alcohol use, and even a longer life. But research has also suggested that middle-aged adults who are more religious are more likely to be obese. Past data have noted only a correlation between religiosity and weight gain, however; they did not show whether participating in religious activities leads to weight gain, or whether overweight individuals are more likely to seek support in their faith.
So researchers at Northwestern University sought to find out how attending religious events is associated with weight gain over time. They analyzed data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults study, which followed more than 2,400 people aged 20 to 32 for 18 years. Over that time, the scientists reported at an American Heart Association conference, people who went to church or church activities at least once a week were more than twice as likely as people with no religious involvement to become obese.
While the study did not tease apart which church activities were associated with the most weight gain, the authors speculate that those who attended church were more likely to have a broader social network, which in turn may lead to more opportunities to gather over food and drink.
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(Excerpt) Read more at healthland.time.com ...
Post hoc ergo propter hoc fallacy.
EVERYTHING is associated with weight gain over time! Unfortunately.
I have never been to a church outing at ANY church where the food wasn’t great - and there was lots of it. Our own church members brought so much wonderful food when my Dad died that we ate for a week on the leftovers. I think God shares recipes with the ladies before Sunday school!
Pot luck bump!
It sounds like the “researchers” at Northwestern University might have just a little bit too much free time on their hands. Taxpayer dollars at work!
Three words....pot luck pew !
“Correlation does not imply causation”
Ah, gluttony...one of the seven deadly sins.
Where two or more are gathered there is dessert ;^)
Are you Asmat? LOL!
This doesn’t corrulate with what I see at church. The number of people at church who are overweight is fewer percentagewise than the generel population. The people at church are more well adjusted. They tend to live more controlled lives. And in doing so, tend to control their consumption of foodstuffs more than the general population.
I guess they will use this as a basis to outlaw attending church? Not being sarcastic at all!
Fairly straightforward explanation although the "authors" are characteristically clueless.
There is a fairly straightforward explanation although the "authors" are characteristically clueless.
My initial thought when reading the title was that the NYT will stop at nothing to try to discourage people from going to church!
sorry, brain burp, I meant to type “Time”, another left dustwipe.
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