Troubling: Church goers and obesity

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  • Hexahedra
    Hexahedra Posts: 894 Member
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    I think getting physically fit and attractive have a certain air of vanity and hedonism, which are not quite the qualities sought by church goers. That and the food aspect of socializing.
  • MissDeeDee78
    MissDeeDee78 Posts: 415 Member
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    I'm a presbyterian and everytime we gather, for whatever reason, we always have food. lol I avoid coffee hour/mingle so I won't be tempted with the baked goods table set out every Sunday.
  • topazora
    topazora Posts: 82 Member
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    I got fat because I ate too much and didn't work out as much as I should. I'd go to school or work, and go get Taco Bell or Jack in the Box for lunch, or buy prepackaged food, because I was too lazy to make my own food. And I can tell you what, there are just as many obese non-christians as there are obese christians. Don't believe me? Go to Comic Con, comic conventions are not known for being Jesus friendly- even though, quite a few like myself, attend. But there are still a lot of fat people at those conventions. And what? Atheists don't go out to parties and get togethers to have fun eating and drinking while they socialize?
    Sorry, I don't buy it. The pastors at my church were actually slim, and I would see very few morbidly obese people in the congregation. Personally, I think obesity has more to do the American lifestyle rather than church attendance. Yeah, when Christians gather, there's food- but seriously, how many christians gather that much? Most don't gather more than Sunday! And eating a lot on Sunday is not going to expand your waist line.
  • Hexahedra
    Hexahedra Posts: 894 Member
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    I got fat because I ate too much and didn't work out as much as I should. I'd go to school or work, and go get Taco Bell or Jack in the Box for lunch, or buy prepackaged food, because I was too lazy to make my own food. And I can tell you what, there are just as many obese non-christians as there are obese christians. Don't believe me? Go to Comic Con, comic conventions are not known for being Jesus friendly- even though, quite a few like myself, attend. But there are still a lot of fat people at those conventions. And what? Atheists don't go out to parties and get togethers to have fun eating and drinking while they socialize?
    Sorry, I don't buy it. The pastors at my church were actually slim, and I would see very few morbidly obese people in the congregation. Personally, I think obesity has more to do the American lifestyle rather than church attendance. Yeah, when Christians gather, there's food- but seriously, how many christians gather that much? Most don't gather more than Sunday! And eating a lot on Sunday is not going to expand your waist line.
    Why are you so defensive? The study doesn't say other groups don't have obesity problem, it's just that more church goers have it.
  • hilaryhill
    hilaryhill Posts: 156 Member
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    I saw a study recently of church attendance by state and no surprise, the "Bible Belt" states had the highest church attendance. The Bible Belt is also known as the "Diabetes Belt" as this is where you find some of the fattest states, year after year. I am thinking there is a correlation between the two.

    This was my thought. I live in Los Angeles now but I was raised and just moved from the South (Mississippi, but before that Alabama). Church goers are more likely to be in the south. MS and AL are two of the fattest states in the country so it would make sense to say "most church goers are fat," haha, because I saw plenty in church.... but also just in Walmart. Right now I go to a pretty big church (John MacArthurs church, if ya know who that is!) and I definitely see more thin than fat. But I guess people are more health conscious in Cali than other places...??
  • tonyrocks922
    tonyrocks922 Posts: 172 Member
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    easy .. they like tradition, don't believe is science ... easy equation

    You know... I'm not trying to take this off in the wrong direction. But for many people, church is about fellowship. If God is the glue that brings that together for them, then what difference does it make what their traditions and beliefs are.

    It makes no difference. Unless of course they use those beliefs to create powerful organizations that fight progress, make medical care difficult, and keep down women, homosexuals, and people with other types of beliefs.
  • Teanbaa
    Teanbaa Posts: 12 Member
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    Isn't Gluttony a sin?
  • shadus
    shadus Posts: 424 Member
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    My guess is a more active group social circle for people who are frequent church goers. More bbqs, more pot lucks, etc. Lots of church dinners and most people go out for a Sunday dinner after church as well.

    In addition, living in the bible belt, I've also heard the excuse "the rapture will happen soon so it doesn't matter" which is... kinda terrifying to be honest. I'm apathetic agnostic, I don't know and I don't care, but that said I'm also a fan of the motto, "Hope for the best, prepare for the worst."
  • PilatesConvert
    PilatesConvert Posts: 55 Member
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    First: correlation doesn't equal causation. Period.

    But for my snarky response, are the church goers storing up their treasures in heaven while the rest of us live for the present? That is a huge psychological shift I've seen among the devoutly religious vs. devoutly atheistic.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    My Gramma used to bribe me into going to church by promising me pancakes afterwards. Might explain some of it.
  • coreyreichle
    coreyreichle Posts: 1,031 Member
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    This is most likely because church goers tend not to take charge of their own lives, since they are getting "Hand it over to God, and let him do it" pounded into their heads.

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