Religious practices associated with better cardiovascular health measures in black adults

Black adults who attend church frequently or are deeply spiritual are more likely to meet key measures of good cardiovascular health, such as regular exercise, a balanced diet and keeping blood pressure in the normal range, a new study suggests.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, is the first to examine the relationship between religious practices and spirituality among black adults, and to examine behavioral and other factors considered important for good outcomes by the American Heart Association. Cardiovascular health.

“Healthcare professionals and researchers need to acknowledge the importance of religious and spiritual influences in the lives of African Americans — they are very religious,” said study author Dr. LaPrince C. Beer, a professor of immunology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

“If religious and spiritual beliefs are included in our approach, we can make great discoveries by enhancing the relationship between patients and physicians and between community members and scientists, and to create faith and socio-cultural awareness in this population,” Brewer said.

The researchers analyzed health and religious data collected through interviews, health screenings, and surveys for 2,967 participants in the Jackson Heart Study who identified as African American. The participants – 66% of them women – were, on average, 54 years old. The Jackson Heart Study is the largest community-based screening of cardiovascular disease among black adults in the United States. It includes more than 5,000 adults living in the Jackson, Mississippi area, which has been ongoing since 1998.

Those who reported more religious activity or had deeper levels of spiritual belief were more likely to meet measures of good cardiovascular health. People who frequently attended religious services or activities were 16% more likely to have moderate or good physical activity, 10% more likely to have a heart-healthy diet, 50% more likely to be non-smoking, and 12% more likely to have good blood pressure than those who attended church frequently. to do They were 15% more likely to have a moderate or good composite cardiovascular outcome.

Those who reported engaging in frequent personal prayer were 12% more likely to have moderate or favorable dietary parameters and 24% more likely to smoke.

Religious coping was associated with 18% higher odds of moderate or good physical activity, 10% higher odds of a heart-healthy diet, 32% higher odds of smoking, and 14% higher odds of moderate or good obesity. Cardiovascular effect.

General spirituality was associated with 11% higher odds of achieving moderate or good physical fitness and 36% higher odds of smoking.

Measures of religiosity and spirituality were taken concurrently, so it is not known what effect it had on cardiovascular health over time.

“I was somewhat surprised by the findings that several aspects of religion and spirituality are associated with improved cardiovascular health across a number of health behaviors that are extremely challenging to change, such as diet, exercise and smoking,” Brewer said.

The findings highlight the importance of culturally tailored health efforts to promote health equity, she said.

“The cultural value of interventions may increase their likelihood of impacting cardiovascular health, as well as the sustainability and maintenance of healthy lifestyle changes,” Brewer said. “Religiosity and spirituality can serve as a buffer against anxiety and have therapeutic purposes or support self-efficacy to practice healthy behaviors and seek preventive health services.”