Religious Children are Healthier Children, study says (hell, America, myth)

[aries63]

I've heard it before, but on the Eugene, Oregon forum some are suggesting that religion is dangerous to children, and that children should not be exposed to it by adults, that this is "abuse", yadda, yadda.

But I found reference to a study done earlier this year by an economics professor at The College of New Jersey (a public university) who studies the economics of religion, which shows a correlation between religious belief in children and their physical and mental well-being. One quote from the article about the study: "when Mirtcheva looked at a subset of 12 to 15 year olds, she found those with religious affiliations are almost twice as likely to be in excellent or very good overall health, and nine percentage points more likely to be in excellent or very good psychological health, than children without religious affiliations."

Full article here: Religious Children are Healthier Children, study says

Not much explanation is given for why this is true. I'm fairly religious but skeptical about studies like this. I think if there is some kind of correlation like this it could have to do with the increased socialization that belonging to a religious group can provide children, a sense of identity and community, or even that if a child is being raised in a religion it could mean that parental involvement is higher. These factors could be positives for the overall health of the child.

If someone can produce a study which proves that religion is harmful to children (as some atheists claim) I would like to see that, too.

[Pup Eli]

Originally Posted by aries63

I've heard it before, but on the Eugene, Oregon forum some are suggesting that religion is dangerous to children, and that children should not be exposed to it by adults, that this is "abuse", yadda, yadda.

But I found reference to a study done earlier this year by an economics professor at The College of New Jersey (a public university) who studies the economics of religion, which shows a correlation between religious belief in children and their physical and mental well-being. One quote from the article about the study: "when Mirtcheva looked at a subset of 12 to 15 year olds, she found those with religious affiliations are almost twice as likely to be in excellent or very good overall health, and nine percentage points more likely to be in excellent or very good psychological health, than children without religious affiliations."

Full article here: Religious Children are Healthier Children, study says

Not much explanation is given for why this is true. I'm fairly religious but skeptical about studies like this. I think if there is some kind of correlation like this it could have to do with the increased socialization that belonging to a religious group can provide children, a sense of identity and community, or even that if a child is being raised in a religion it could mean that parental involvement is higher. These factors could be positives for the overall health of the child.

If someone can produce a study which proves that religion is harmful to children (as some atheists claim) I would like to see that, too.

Hello aries63

In America, religion is almost entirely politically organized and I believe that the religious factor is the tailend and not the cause or reason for this study. Ethiopia still has starvation and there are Christians there. The country Israel has religion Judaism for its foundation but they are always in a state for war with their neighbors. Not peace and reconciliation. This is a reflection of political reality and not "religious" reality. Europe had Christianity for centuries and we had two of the biggest wars in human history resulting in death of millions over political reasons not religious. It just called religion to continue to further divide and to hide one's politics of war and bloodshed of their fellow brother and sister.

Overall its great that children are healthier in my opinion.

That's my thoughts on the matter.

Thanks.

[AREQUIPA]

The professor has been more careful than those who have joyfully seized on this study as some sort of support for religion. He writes (underlining mine)

"The paper describes possible mechanisms suggested in the literature to explain the salient relationship between religion and health: social, regulative, and psychological. While possible directions of causation are outlined, this research empirically examines association only and not causation. Statistical analysis shows what happens to the “average” person, and not to specific individuals. Thus, the findings of this study do not contradict the fact that for some individuals the religion-health relationship may be neutral or even negative, as the reader suggested."

TCNJ Magazine » June 2011 The Letter Box » Letter box: June 2011

It occurs to me that the same sort of results might be found in a study of pupils wearing a school uniform.

[LuminousTruth]

Being as a have actually studied Public Health, I can assure everyone that children with easier lives (children of the rich) always end up being Healthier adults. Study after study shows the gradient between childhood lifestyle and health as adult. Although the gradient is most easily discernible between the difference in income (an almost perfect curve, the richer the healthier, regardless of healthcare). What the study means by "Religious children" I am unsure, but I will edit my post after I have read the overview, either way, it is common knowledge that happier, more community involved, children should be perhaps healthier...

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Yes, indeed, the Professor herself "...suggested this could be related to the intense peer pressure and teenage angst 12 to 15 year olds face, adding, 'Perhaps religious affiliation has a calming effect on children entering their teenage years.'"

Mirtcheva said there is no statistically significant difference in terms of quality of health between children of different denominations, only between affiliated and non-affiliated. In other words, “There is no ‘best’ religion to be, in terms of a child’s health,” she said. “We can only conclude that there are benefits to being affiliated with religion

Showing a possible evolutionary source for religion as being able to allow it's population to have children "better fit" to survive childhood diseases.

Children for whom religion is “very important” are six percentage points more likely to be in excellent or very good overall and psychological health versus children for whom religion is “not important.”

Having a sense of superiority and strong community bonds is often good for moral, and that usually translates as very good for health.

The Professor's goal? A religion-friendly public policy...

Mirtcheva will publish her results in a forthcoming paper, and said the findings could have public policy implications. For example, “A religion-friendly public policy, even without favoring any one religion, is likely to be positively associated with the population’s health status…and thereby reduce public expenditures on health care,” Mirtcheva wrote.

I think the professor is not understanding the implications... further alienating the "non-religious" isn't going to help them become healthier. The public policy should be to set up a more "community-friendly" public policy that allows the non-religious to form some sort of strong community, self-esteem, and ease of mind, and ample tranquility. It should not be the job of the government to respect establishments of religion.

AREQUIPA; That was a very good comment by the reader and Dr. Mirtcheva had an excellent response, thanks.

[Jaymax]

Originally Posted by AREQUIPA

The professor has been more careful than those who have joyfully seized on this study as some sort of support for religion. He writes (underlining mine)

"The paper describes possible mechanisms suggested in the literature to explain the salient relationship between religion and health: social, regulative, and psychological. While possible directions of causation are outlined, this research empirically examines association only and not causation. Statistical analysis shows what happens to the “average” person, and not to specific individuals. Thus, the findings of this study do not contradict the fact that for some individuals the religion-health relationship may be neutral or even negative, as the reader suggested."

TCNJ Magazine » June 2011 The Letter Box » Letter box: June 2011

It occurs to me that the same sort of results might be found in a study of pupils wearing a school uniform.

Here's the actual study.

http://ftp.iza.org/dp5215.pdf

Looks like the author is doing a bit of confirmation bias to me.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by aries63

I've heard it before, but on the Eugene, Oregon forum some are suggesting that religion is dangerous to children, and that children should not be exposed to it by adults, that this is "abuse", yadda, yadda.

But I found reference to a study done earlier this year by an economics professor at The College of New Jersey (a public university) who studies the economics of religion, which shows a correlation between religious belief in children and their physical and mental well-being. One quote from the article about the study: "when Mirtcheva looked at a subset of 12 to 15 year olds, she found those with religious affiliations are almost twice as likely to be in excellent or very good overall health, and nine percentage points more likely to be in excellent or very good psychological health, than children without religious affiliations."

Full article here: Religious Children are Healthier Children, study says

Not much explanation is given for why this is true. I'm fairly religious but skeptical about studies like this. I think if there is some kind of correlation like this it could have to do with the increased socialization that belonging to a religious group can provide children, a sense of identity and community, or even that if a child is being raised in a religion it could mean that parental involvement is higher. These factors could be positives for the overall health of the child.

If someone can produce a study which proves that religion is harmful to children (as some atheists claim) I would like to see that, too.

Secular researchers have reached a consensus that religious people generally live longer than non-religious people. There is a lot of debate about the reasons for it. The authors of "The Longevity Project" don't think it's because of religion itself, but because of the connectedness and social support that are conducive to Church settings.

Other researchers note that religions enourage and promote healthy lifestyles (They generally prohibit, or at least discourage, unhealthy habits such as smoking, recreational drug use, alcohol, sex outside of marriage, etc.). Some religions, such as the Seventh Day Adventists require a strict vegetarian diet (and also no smoking or alcohol). It turns out Seventh Day Adventists live 10 years longer than the average American (See "The Blue Zones", a book about clusters around the world where a lot of people live to age 100).

Religions also promote marriage and the value system that keeps marriages together. People who get married and stay married usually live longer than those who divorce or never marry. This is especially true for men.

[AREQUIPA]

Originally Posted by Jaymax

Here's the actual study.

http://ftp.iza.org/dp5215.pdf

Looks like the author is doing a bit of confirmation bias to me.

Well, I got that impression, too, but I had to allow for my bias. The fact is that, even if the correlation is causative rather than due to other factors, it is the old question of whether teaching a myth is justified because it makes people behave better or even improves their psychological state or health?

I feel that for such piddling percentages it doesn't justify it.

[purehuman]

There's too many variables to attribute the better health of children to being religious....I don't agree with this at all.

[calmdude]

Regardless of the physical health debate, I strongly feel my atheist kids are certainly more mentally healthy. I hope they continue to be open minded, inquisitive and not reliant on blind faith.

[gabfest]

Some religious children are certainly healthier, the kosher diet is scientific. Much love to the Christian communities but, by and large their diets are atrocious-they do need to be judged for what they eat; they are helping tremendously in killing the U.S. health-care system.

Here's one Christian's perspectives on the matter...I was not offended by her perspective in the least bit. It's true.
http://www.charismamag.com/index.php...-church-so-fat