Church & Health Connection

Posted by Kevan Breitinger Apr 7, 2006

Good news for regular church attenders. A new study finds people who attend religious services weekly live longer. Specifically, the research looked at how many years are added to life expectancy based on:

1. Regular physical exercise: 3-5.1 years

2. Proven therapeutic regimens: 2.1-3.7 years

3. Regular religious attendance: 1.8-3.1 years

The study, which is actually a review of existing research from the three categories, does not reveal what the link between faith and health might be. "Religious attendance is not a mode of medical therapy," said study leader Daniel Hall, a resident in general surgery at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and an Episcopal priest. "While this study was not intended for use in clinical decision making, these findings tell us that there is something to examine further. At the very least, it shows that further research into the associations between religion and health might have implications for medical practice."