Study shows attending religious services prolongs life as much as execcise

[papau]

A new study finds that people who attend religious services weekly live longer, 1.8 to 3.1 years longer, in fact according to a study by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, detailed in the March-April issue of the Journal of the American Board of
Family Medicine.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. My guess would be that is a random finding rather than a control

in the study...would love to see the impirical data

[Orrex]

2. Empirical data? What's that?

:sarcasm:

[papau]

4. It reads like a controlled study - but my thread title has a bit of spin

As I read the data, the exercise results to date appear to give a year more than the Church studies - but I may be reading it incorrectly as one Church study had a 7 year live longer edge for the Church goers. Since the studies at least overlap, you have my headline for this thread.


http://www.wpherald.com/print.php?StoryID=20060404-102550-9084r

<snip>Previous studies also support the link between longevity and religion. Among them, a 1997 study by Duke University Medical Center of 1,700 older adults found that religious observance enhanced immune systems and lowered blood pressure. Another Duke study two years later found that weekly churchgoers were 46 percent less likely to die over a six-year period than people who did not attend.<snip>

<snip>The effect was so strong that it was equal to that of not smoking cigarettes, Duke psychiatrist Dr. Harold Koenig said at the time. In addition, University of Colorado sociologists found that regular churchgoers live longer than those who don't attend -- by as much as seven years.<snip>

[TallahasseeGrannie]

3. Obviously it is all about

connection with community, rather than "God."

Not that I have anything against God.

[papau]

6. It could also be self-selection of life style by those going to Church

And it could be - now everyone run scared - an action by GOD!

I hope no one tries to prove - or disprove - that last conjecture, as by now I would think folks understood that proving or disproving anything about God in a scientific manner is impossible.

But still, as one sometimes says in research - that is an interesting result. :-)

:toast:

:-)

[ret5hd]

5. what about ths study though...

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/health/2002901053_pray31.html

and what if you regularly attend religious services, then get sick and people pray for you? does it cancel each other out?

[papau]

7. Have no clue as to the answer - I'm only noting it's an interesting result

But non-death for a few years does seem an easier item to check off in a study than "not have heart opertion complications over a few weeks"!

:-)

[TallahasseeGrannie]

8. Here's a thought..

maybe if you regularly attend services and are exposed to a wider variety of bugs, you get a better immune system?

But personally, I know that my church is important to me socially. I'd be pretty isolated without it. I don't think God rewards me for going to church.

But who knows?

[papau]

11. I like your thought - indeed it expresses my thought! n/t

n/t

:-)

[Warpy]

13. I'm with you on that one

because I've seen religions that I consider to be extremely damaging to the human spirit be a great source of comfort when a family is sitting outside the intensive care unit, generally because their church is providing them with social support they wouldn't have had otherwise.

If only we could manage to police churches to make sure they didn't drive their members crazy in the process.

[ochazuke]

9. Next:

You'll see tabloid articles saying that being a Baptist extends your life longer than being a Methodist. Being a Jew of course has always been bad for your health. Muslims and Buddhists won't be included in the study since they are not statistically significant.

[papau]

12. Duke University Medical Center studies are "tabloid" ???? n/t

n/t

[depakid]

16. Despite what one may have heard

Duke does not have the best reputation when it comes to research into areas involving prayer, religion and public health. One guess why that is.

[ochazuke]

10. oh!

So, should you consult your doctor before undertaking a program of religious fanaticism?

[beam me up scottie]

14. I suggest warning labels.

On the doors of the fundie churches as well as on the foreheads of the fundies.

Hey, if they can do it to science textbooks in Georgia...

[depakid]

15. It's called "social capital"

and you will find similar results for people who are engaged in other activities where they receive friendship and support.

[NMMNG]

17. Hmmm

From the article:

Exercise can add three to five additional years to life, statin therapy 2.5 to 3.5 years and church attendance two to three years.

snip

Each year of life gained from statin therapy cost about $10,000, while religious attendance cost $7,000 per year.

Physical exercise was the cheapest, at approximately $4,000 per year.


Exercise added up to two additional years of life for three thousand dollars less per year. I'll take the exercise.

[FM Arouet666]

18. Generally speaking, if you make an assertion you should provide a link.

As for the 1.8 to 3.1 years longer, I will stick with my atheism. It has been suggested that mormons live longer due to their abstinence, no alcohol, no tobacco, no drugs, no sex unless you wear funky magic underwear. As with mormonism, I will keep my little 666 tattoo, abstain from religious services and live my life as happily as I can.

Please give a link, I am interested in reviewing the study. :evilgrin: :evilfrown: }(

[NMMNG]

19. He actually did provide a link--down in post #4

http://www.wpherald.com/print.php?StoryID=20060404-102550-9084r

Though it didn't say exactly what his OP title proclaimed.

[FM Arouet666]

20. Interesting

A fourth year surgical resident who is also an ordained minister performs a retrospective study, a study design which is given to selection bias, concluding that church attendance adds years to your life? The article does not link to the original paper, I would be interested in seeing the actual data.

[NMMNG]

21. Oh you atheists, always wanting data

:eyes:






:P

[papau]

23. Should one buy the journal to see the peer reviewed article? :-)

:-)

[FM Arouet666]

27. Here is the abstract

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=16513898&query_hl=4&itool=pubmed_docsum

The author notes "findings warrant more and better quality research." I am too lazy to find the journal in the local med library, but results from retrospective meta-analyzes should be viewed with caution.

[Celebration]

22. funny

So if I go to chuch AND exercise AND take drugs is it additive? Could it be the wine or grape juice in communion? Did they include Scientologists? Can a double blind prospective study be done--where the placebo effect is factored out? Can the placebo effect be factored out of exercise too? Could it be people who feel like getting up on Sunday morning vs. people who like to sleep in, the latter being slightly less full of vitality? What about watching Sunday services on TV? Radio? What if you go to Wednesday night activities too? If you hate chuch but go to extend your life will it still work?

So many questions, not enough studies.

[varkam]

24. As much as I hate to say it...

the finding is actually intuitively appealing to me. Religious people tend to be "happier" (because they are living a "delusion"), but that happiness lends itself to less stress which would in turn lend itself to a healthier lifestyle and less stress on the heart.

Well hell, I guess I should convert. Oh wait...that's only if my #1 priority is the length of my life, not the kind of life I lead.

[beam me up scottie]

25. !

:spank:

[varkam]

26. Ow!

I did say.."As much as I hate to say it" didn't I? So what if theists live longer? That just means they're delaying their eternal bliss for a few more years...