Church Goers More Obese, Obesity Messes With the Brain

[dynasaw]

I am intrigued by two studies:

"Obesity subtly diminishes memory and other features of thinking and reasoning even among seemingly healthy people,
an international team of scientists reports." (Science News)

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/71742/title/Obesity_messes_with_the_brain


"People who go to church regularly are more prone to pack on the pounds, reports Time. In one analysis, researchers at Northwestern University
found that those who attended church or some kind of church function a minimum of once a week were twice as likely to be obese as those who
had no religious involvement. "

http://www.newser.com/story/114954/churchgoers-more-likely-to-be-obese.html

What to make of this?? :dilemma:

[Silver Swan]

1. My first reaction to these studies is to note that

correlation does not equal causation.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

2. Everything but eating is sinful to Christians.

[Lucinda]

5. Never heard of gluttony? Seven deadly sins?

:hi:

[Taverner]

7. Seven Deadly Sins are limited to Catholicism

And even then...I think Ratzo redefined them recently.

[Taverner]

6. And even then...

I remember an evangelical preacher going off once about how there is no such thing as "fat Christians" and that if one were to become obese, they wouldn't be a Christian, body being the temple etc...

I would say that the stupid burns, but its more hateful than stupid

[Odin2005]

3. Religion makes you both fat and stupid?

[Ikonoklast]

9. I think you got it backwards.

Or something.

I'm not sure, this is a real "Chicken or the Egg?" type of deal.

[Initech]

4. Two words: Church potlucks

They're full of over-salted, unhealthy foods and its' all you can eat for free. That's a big source.

[Arugula Latte]

8. I'm sure a lot of it is cultural.

Churchie people tend to be rural/suburban (w/ exception of African American church goers, maybe?), and urban people tend to be thinner, and not just because of walking opportunities, etc.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

10. I've seen lots of fat black people in black churches.

And lots of fat white people in white churches.

Seems to be some correlation between low socioeconomic status/low-education fundie churches/obesity.