A healthier life? Your prayers are answered

Devoutly religious people tend to live healthier lives, but even non-believers can benefit from emulating the religious lifestyle

MANY RELIABLE surveys have found a positive correlation between religious practice and improved health outcomes. How can this correlation be explained? The well-known sceptic Michael Shermer tackles this question in the December 2011 edition of Scientific American. He concludes that the correlation is explained by the general lifestyle advocated by religion (ie the parts of the teachings that are not explicitly spiritual) and that these same health benefits are available to all, religious or not, who adopt this lifestyle (or large aspects of it).

ME McCullough, the respected psychologist who studies the psychology and evolution of religion, and colleagues published a research review in 2000 ( Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, Vol 19, No 1, pp 102-116), showing a correlation between religiosity and lower mortality, reduced onset of physical and mental illness and enhanced recovery from illness. Religious people are more likely to engage in healthy behaviour such as health check-ups and wearing seat belts, and less likely to engage in risky behaviours such as smoking, excessive drinking, taking recreational drugs and participating in risky sex. The authors also conclude that the social network provided by religion reinforces positive behaviour.

In 2009, McCullough and B Willoughby published research ( Psychological Bulletin, Vol 135, No 1, pp 69-93) showing that religion promotes self-regulation for goal achievement and for exerting self-control over negative temptations. Achieving results through self-control calls for a focused programme of goal-setting and monitoring of progress. Religion can keep you focused through praying and reciting mantras; McCullough describes such rituals as "a kind of anaerobic workout for self-control". However, Shermer points out, and I agree, that anyone, religious or not, can tap into this focused goal-setting/

monitoring mechanism. Alcoholics Anonymous urges members to surrender to a higher power. Many members surrender to God but, as Shermer points out, AA also works if you surrender to anything that helps you to focus on the greater goal of sobriety.

Delay of immediate gratification in order to work towards a later, more rewarding achievement is an important aspect of self-control. Research shows that young children who delay gratification do better later in terms of academic achievement and social adjustment. Shermer points out that the religious strategy of delaying gratification in this life in return for eternal bliss in the next is the ultimate gratification-delay strategy.

McCullough also states that, “Religion also improves the monitoring of behaviour, another of the central steps of self-control. Religious people tend to think someone important is watching them”. However, for non-believers, the monitor can be family, friends and colleagues.

Christian teaching urges Christians to care for their neighbours, to forgive their enemies, to eschew violence, to help the poor and downtrodden, to moderate sexual, eating and drinking appetites, to be generous and non-judgmental, to be truthful, to respect life and the body, to practice sexual modesty and faithfulness, to honour parents and the elderly, to be frugal and thrifty, to be industrious and productive at work, and so on. Christians believe that God wants them to live in this way, but living like this brings benefits regardless of your motivation for doing so. Most of these Christian standards would be simply regarded as civilised and healthy standards for anybody.

Historically, Christianity has been tremendously successful, starting out in AD40 with about 1,000 followers and growing to 3.5 million by AD350. Rodney Stark (an agnostic sociologist), in his book The Rise of Christianity(Princeton University Press, 1996), makes a convincing case that this rise can be attributed to the general lifestyle of the new Christians, which competed very favourably with surrounding "pagan" cultures.

Many religious people believe that the health benefits of religion are a payoff for believing in God. Shermer, an atheist, is interested in showing that the benefits are available to all who adopt the lifestyle advocated by religion, and with no need to take the specifically religious aspects on board. “God’s advice” about general lifestyle is indeed good for our health, whether God exists or not.

William Reville is a professor in the Biochemistry Department and public Awareness of Science Officer at UCC. understandingscience.ucc.ie