title: Assessing the Relationship Between Religious Involvement and Health Behaviors.
abstract: A growing body of research suggests that people who are more deeply involved in religion may be more likely to adopt beneficial health behaviors. However, religion is a complex phenomenon, and as a result, religion may affect health behaviors in a number of ways. The purpose of the current study was to see whether a sacred view of the body (i.e., belief that the body is the temple of God) is associated with better health behavior. It was proposed that the relationship between a sacred body view and health behavior will emerge only among study participants who have a stronger sense of religiously oriented control (i.e., stronger God-mediated control beliefs). Five positive health behaviors were evaluated: more frequent strenuous exercise, more frequent moderate exercise, more frequent consumption of fruits and vegetables, higher quality sleep, and the adoption of healthy lifestyles. Data from a recent nationwide sample reveal that a sacred body view is associated with each health behavior, but only among study participants who have a strong religiously oriented sense of control.
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Neal
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.affiliation: 2 Biola University, La Miranda, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Hill
authors.affiliation: 3 University of California-Davis, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Emmons
authors.affiliation: 4 Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA.
authors.forename: Kenneth I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Pargament
authors.affiliation: 5 University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA.
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ironson
mesh_terms: D000072001:Diet, Healthy / Q000523:psychology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012067:Religion; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States
keywords: God-mediated control; health behavior; sacred body view