Religious practices and spirituality may be associated with better heart health, according to a new analysis published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.[1]
The study’s authors explored data from nearly 3,000 patients who participated in the Jackson Heart Study, a Black Americans. Participants were interviewed and surveyed about a number of topics, including their heart health and their levels of religious activity or spirituality. Heart health was assessed using the Life’s Simple Seven model first developed by the American Heart Association.
Overall, the group found, participants who reported being highly religious were more likely to have intermediate or ideal heart health when looking at different Life’s Simple Seven factors. Also, participants who reported higher levels of religious practices or spirituality were less likely to smoke.
Patients who regularly participate in private prayer, the group added, were more likely to have intermediate or ideal diets.
“I would encourage healthcare professionals to initiate dialogue about religiosity and spirituality with their patients as part of comprehensive social history taking and patient-centered approaches to health care delivery,” first author LaPrincess Brewer, MD, a preventive cardiologist with Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, said in a statement. “I would also encourage researchers to consider these factors when designing heart health interventions.”
Brewer et al. did emphasize that this study does not confirm a causal relationship between religious practices or spirituality and biological measures such as weight or cholesterol. Instead, it suggests that these patients are more likely to make healthy choices when it comes to such modifiable risk factors as diet, physical activity and smoking.
“Religiosity and spirituality may serve as buffers to stress and have therapeutic effects or may empower people to practice healthy behaviors or seek preventive health services,” Brewer added.
Brewer et al. plan on continuing their research, including a larger investigation into how religious practices and spirituality may impact public and population health levels.
Michael has more than 16 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.