The Association of Religion and Spirituality with Obesity and Weight Change in the USA: A Large-Scale Cohort Study.

Publisher: Springer Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 2985199R Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1573-6571 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 00224197 NLM ISO Abbreviation: J Relig Health Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: New York, NY : Springer
Original Publication: New York : Academy of Religion and Mental Health.

Religion* ; Spirituality*; Adaptation, Psychological ; Body Weight ; Cohort Studies ; Humans ; Obesity

The association between religion, spirituality, and body weight is controversial, given the methodological limitations of existing studies. Using the Nurses' Health Study II cohort, follow-up occurred from 2001 to 2015, with up to 35,547 participants assessed for the religious or spiritual coping and religious service attendance analyses. Cox regression and generalized estimating equations evaluated associations with obesity and weight change, respectively. Religious or spiritual coping and religious service attendance had little evidence of an association with obesity. Compared with not using religious or spiritual coping at all, the fully adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were minimally different across categories: a little bit (HR = 1.05, 95% CI: 0.92-1.18), a medium amount (HR = 1.09, 95% CI: 0.96-1.24), and a lot (HR = 1.10; 95% CI: 0.96-1.25) (P trend  = 0.17). Compared with participants who never or almost never attend religious meetings or services, there was little evidence of an association between those attending less than once/month (HR = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.97-1.10), 1-3 times/month (HR = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.90-1.13), once/week (HR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.83-1.02), and more than once/week (HR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.82-1.07) (P trend  = 0.06). Findings were similar for weight change. There was no significant association between religious or spiritual coping, religious service attendance, obesity, and weight change. While religion and spirituality are prominent in American society, they are not important psychosocial factors influencing body weight in this sample.
(© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Ano, G. G., & Vasconcelles, E. B. (2005). Religious coping and psychological adjustment to stress: A meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 61(4), 461–480. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20049. (PMID: 10.1002/jclp.2004915503316)
Carver, C., Scheier, M., & Weintraub, J. (1989). Assessing coping strategies: A theoretically based approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56(2), 267–283. (PMID: 10.1037/0022-3514.56.2.267)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Data, Trend and Maps. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved March 1, 2020 from https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/data-trends-maps/index.html.
Chen, Y., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2018). Associations of religious upbringing with subsequent health and well-being from adolescence to young adulthood: An outcome-wide analysis. American Journal of Epidemiology, 187(11), 2355–2364. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwy142. (PMID: 10.1093/aje/kwy142302156636211237)
Cline, K. M., & Ferraro, K. F. (2006). Does religion increase the prevalence and incidence of obesity in adulthood? Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 45(2), 269–281. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-5906.2006.00305.x. (PMID: 10.1111/j.1468-5906.2006.00305.x226394673358928)
Dodor, B. A., Robinson, M. A., Watson, R., Meetze, D., & Whicker, R., Jr. (2018). The impact of religiosity on substance abuse and obesity in African Americans. Journal of Religion and Health, 57(4), 1315–1328. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-017-0501-2. (PMID: 10.1007/s10943-017-0501-229027058)
Feinstein, M., Liu, K., Ning, H., Fitchett, G., & Lloyd-Jones, D. M. (2012). Incident obesity and cardiovascular risk factors between young adulthood and middle age by religious involvement: The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. Preventive Medicine, 54(2), 117–121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2011.11.004. (PMID: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2011.11.00422155479)
Ferguson, T. W., Andercheck, B., Tom, J. C., Martinez, B. C., & Stroope, S. (2015). Occupational conditions, self-care, and obesity among clergy in the United States. Social Science Research, 49, 249–263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2014.08.014. (PMID: 10.1016/j.ssresearch.2014.08.01425432617)
Fetzer Institute. (1999). Multidimensional measurement of religiousness/spirituality for use in health research: A report of the Fetzer Institute/National Institute on Aging Working Group. Health Research Program Area of the John E. Fetzer Institute.
Goodarzi, M. O. (2018). Genetics of obesity: What genetic association studies have taught us about the biology of obesity and its complications. The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology, 6(3), 223–236. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-8587(17)30200-0. (PMID: 10.1016/S2213-8587(17)30200-028919064)
Harvard School of Public Health. (2013). Nurses' Health Study II. Harvard School of Public Health. Retrieved October 1 from https://nurseshealthstudy.org/about-nhs/history.
Hill, P. C., Pargament, K. I., Hood, R. W., McCullough, J., Michael, E., Swyers, J. P., Larson, D. B., & Zinnbauer, B. J. (2000). Conceptualizing religion and spirituality: Points of commonality, points of departure. Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, 30(1), 51–77. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-5914.00119. (PMID: 10.1111/1468-5914.00119)
Hruby, A., Manson, J. E., Qi, L., Malik, V. S., Rimm, E. B., Sun, Q., Willett, W. C., & Hu, F. B. (2016). Determinants and consequences of obesity. American Journal of Public Health, 106(9), 1656–1662. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2016.303326. (PMID: 10.2105/AJPH.2016.303326274594604981805)
Hu, F. B., Li, T. Y., Colditz, G. A., Willett, W. C., & Manson, J. E. (2003). Television watching and other sedentary behaviors in relation to risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus in women. JAMA, 289(14), 1785–1791. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.289.14.1785. (PMID: 10.1001/jama.289.14.178512684356)
Incollingo Rodriguez, A. C., Epel, E. S., White, M. L., Standen, E. C., Seckl, J. R., & Tomiyama, A. J. (2015). Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation and cortisol activity in obesity: A systematic review. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 62, 301–318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.08.014. (PMID: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.08.01426356039)
Kim, K. H., Sobal, J., & Wethington, E. (2003). Religion and body weight. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, 27(4), 469–477. . (PMID: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0802220)
Kobayashi, D., Shimbo, T., Takahashi, O., Davis, R. B., & Wee, C. C. (2015). The relationship between religiosity and cardiovascular risk factors in Japan: A large-scale cohort study. Journal of the American Society of Hypertension, 9(7), 553–562. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jash.2015.04.003. (PMID: 10.1016/j.jash.2015.04.003261884004597307)
Koenig, H. (1997). Is religion good for your health? Haworth Press.
Koenig, H. (2012). Religion, spirituality, and health: The research and clinical implications. ISRN Psychiatry, 2012, 278730. https://doi.org/10.5402/2012/278730. (PMID: 10.5402/2012/278730237627643671693)
Koenig, H., King, D., & Carson, V. B. (2012). Handbook of Religion and Health (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Kortt, M. A., & Dollery, B. (2014). Religion and BMI in Australia. Journal of Religion and Health, 53(1), 217–228. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-012-9621-x. (PMID: 10.1007/s10943-012-9621-x22669689)
Levin, J. S., & Vanderpool, H. Y. (1989). Is religion therapeutically significant for hypertension? Social Science and Medicine, 29(1), 69–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-9536(89)90129-9. (PMID: 10.1016/0277-9536(89)90129-92662423)
Liu, M. Y., Li, N., Li, W. A., & Khan, H. (2017). Association between psychosocial stress and hypertension: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurological Research, 39(6), 573–580. https://doi.org/10.1080/01616412.2017.1317904. (PMID: 10.1080/01616412.2017.131790428415916)
Logan, J. G., & Barksdale, D. J. (2008). Allostasis and allostatic load: Expanding the discourse on stress and cardiovascular disease. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 17(7b), 201–208. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2008.02347.x. (PMID: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2008.02347.x18578796)
Lycett, D. (2015). The association of religious affiliation and body mass index (BMI): An analysis from the Health Survey for England. Journal of Religion and Health, 54(6), 2249–2267. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-014-9975-3. (PMID: 10.1007/s10943-014-9975-325408535)
McEwen, B. S., & Stellar, E. (1993). Stress and the individual. Mechanisms leading to disease. Archives of Internal Medicine, 153(18), 2093–2101. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.1993.00410180039004. (PMID: 10.1001/archinte.1993.004101800390048379800)
Medina-Remon, A., Kirwan, R., Lamuela-Raventos, R. M., & Estruch, R. (2018). Dietary patterns and the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, asthma, and neurodegenerative diseases. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 58(2), 262–296. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2016.1158690. (PMID: 10.1080/10408398.2016.115869027127938)
Mishra, S. K., Togneri, E., Tripathi, B., & Trikamji, B. (2017). Spirituality and religiosity and its role in health and diseases. Journal of Religion and Health, 56(4), 1282–1301. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-015-0100-z. (PMID: 10.1007/s10943-015-0100-z26345679)
Nathenson, S. L., & Wen, M. (2012). Religiousness, physical activity and obesity among older cancer survivors: Results from the Health and Retirement Study 2000–2010. The International Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Society, 2(3), 129–144. https://doi.org/10.18848/2154-8633/cgp/v02i03/51016. (PMID: 10.18848/2154-8633/cgp/v02i03/51016253747624217486)
Noriea, A. H., Patel, F. N., Werner, D. A., & Peek, M. E. (2018). A narrative review of physician perspectives regarding the social and environmental determinants of obesity. Current Diabetes Reports, 18(5), 24. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-018-0990-8. (PMID: 10.1007/s11892-018-0990-829564581)
Paloutzian, R., & Park, C. (Eds.). (2014). Handbook of the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.
Pargament, K. I. (2002). The bitter and the sweet: An evaluation of the costs and benefits of religiousness. Psychological Inquiry, 13(3), 168–181. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1303_02. (PMID: 10.1207/S15327965PLI1303_02)
Pargament, K. I., Koenig, H. G., & Perez, L. M. (2000). The many methods of religious coping: Development and initial validation of the RCOPE. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 56(4), 519–543. https://doi.org/10.1002/(sici)1097-4679(200004)56:4%3c519::aid-jclp6%3e3.0.co;2-1. (PMID: 10.1002/(sici)1097-4679(200004)56:4<519::aid-jclp6>3.0.co;2-110775045)
Pargament, K. I., Smith, B. W., Koenig, H. G., & Perez, L. (1998). Patterns of positive and negative religious coping with major life stressors. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. https://doi.org/10.2307/1388152. (PMID: 10.2307/1388152)
Pasch, K. E., Nelson, M. C., Lytle, L. A., Moe, S. G., & Perry, C. L. (2008). Adoption of risk-related factors through early adolescence: Associations with weight status and implications for causal mechanisms. Journal of Adolescent Health, 43(4), 387–393. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2008.02.009. (PMID: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2008.02.009)
Pew Research Center. (2015). America's changing religious landscape.
Rimm, E. B., Stampfer, M. J., Colditz, G. A., Chute, C. G., Litin, L. B., & Willett, W. C. (1990). Validity of self-reported waist and hip circumferences in men and women. Epidemiology, 1(6), 466–473. https://doi.org/10.1097/00001648-199011000-00009. (PMID: 10.1097/00001648-199011000-000092090285)
Sack, D. (2001). Whitebread Protestants: Food and Religion in American Culture. Palgrave.
Seventh-day Adventist Church. (2020). Living Christian Behavior. Retrieved May 1, 2020 from https://www.adventist.org.
Suh, H., Hill, T., & Koenig, H. G. (2019). Religious attendance and biological risk: A national longitudinal study of older adults. Journal of Religion and Health, 58, 1188–1202. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-018-0721-0. (PMID: 10.1007/s10943-018-0721-030334184)
Troy, L., Hunter, D. J., Manson, J. E., Colditz, G. A., Stampfer, M. J., & Willett, W. C. (1995). The validity of recalled weight amonger younger women. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, 19(8), 570–572. (PMID: 7489028)
van Lenthe, F. J., Droomers, M., Schrijvers, C. T., & Mackenbach, J. P. (2000). Socio-demographic variables and 6 year change in body mass index: Longitudinal results from the GLOBE study. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, 24(8), 1077–1084. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0801236. (PMID: 10.1038/sj.ijo.080123610951550)
VanderWeele, T. (2015). Explanation in Causal Inference: Methods for Mediation and Interaction. Oxford University Press.
Williams, E. P., Mesidor, M., Winters, K., Dubbert, P. M., & Wyatt, S. B. (2015). Overweight and obesity: Prevalence, consequences, and causes of a growing public health problem. Current Obesity Reports, 4(3), 363–370. . (PMID: 10.1007/s13679-015-0169-4)
World Health Organization. (2018). Fact sheets: Obesity and overweight. World Health Organization. Retrieved June 25 from https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight.
Yeary, K. H. K., Sobal, J., & Wethington, E. (2017). Religion and body weight: A review of quantitative studies. Obesity Reviews, 18(10), 1210–1222. https://doi.org/10.1111/obr.12569. (PMID: 10.1111/obr.1256928766892)

U01 CA176726 United States NH NIH HHS; 48424 john templeton foundation; U01 CA176726 United States NH NIH HHS

Keywords: Obesity; Religion; Spirituality; USA; Weight change

Date Created: 20211029 Date Completed: 20220928 Latest Revision: 20220928

20231215

10.1007/s10943-021-01368-6

34714470