Is Religiousness Associated with Better Lifestyle and Health Among Danes? Findings from SHARE

Steffen Christensen Herold; Niels Christian Hvidt; Sören Möller; Kaare Christensen; Linda Juel Ahrenfeldt

doi:10.1007/s10943-020-01050-3

Is Religiousness Associated with Better Lifestyle and Health Among Danes? Findings from SHARE

Steffen Christensen Herold
, Niels Christian Hvidt
, Sören Möller
, Kaare Christensen
, Linda Juel Ahrenfeldt^*

^*Kontaktforfatter

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskrift › Tidsskriftartikel › Forskning › peer review

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Abstract

Evidence of a possible association between religion and health in secular societies is sparse. We therefore conducted a nationwide study using data from 1596 Danes aged 50 + who participated in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) wave 1 (2004–2005) and were followed up between 2006 and 2015, to investigate the association between religiousness and health including a lifestyle index. Results from the longitudinal models adjusted for age and gender showed that being religiously educated by parents, taking part in a religious organization, and praying were factors associated with fewer risk factors of unhealthy lifestyle. Furthermore, being religiously educated was associated with lower odds of self-rated poor health and depressive symptoms. Results were overall consistent across the cross-sectional and longitudinal models and persisted after further adjustment for education and marital status. These findings provide support for a positive relationship between religiousness and health among Danes, particularly for those being religiously educated by their parents.

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Tidsskrift	Journal of Religion and Health
Vol/bind	61
Udgave nummer	2
Sider (fra-til)	1621-1640
ISSN	0022-4197
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-020-01050-3
Status	Udgivet - apr. 2022

Finansiering

This paper uses data from SHARE Waves 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6; see Börsch-Supan et al. ( 2013 ) for methodological details (Borsch-Supan et al. 2013 ). The SHARE data collection has been primarily funded by the European Commission through FP5 (QLK6-CT-2001-00360), FP6 (SHARE-I3: RII-CT-2006-062193, COMPARE: CIT5-CT-2005-028857, SHARELIFE: CIT4-CT-2006-028812) and FP7 (SHARE-PREP: No. 211909, SHARE-LEAP: No. 227822, SHARE M4: No. 261982). Additional funding from the German Ministry of Education and Research, the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science, the U.S. National Institute on Aging (U01_AG09740-13S2, P01_AG005842, P01_AG08291, P30_AG12815, R21_AG025169, Y1-AG-4553-01, IAG_BSR06-11, OGHA_04-064, HHSN271201300071C) and from various national funding sources is gratefully acknowledged (see www.share-project.org ).

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10.1007/s10943-020-01050-3

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Citationsformater

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abstract = "Evidence of a possible association between religion and health in secular societies is sparse. We therefore conducted a nationwide study using data from 1596 Danes aged 50 + who participated in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) wave 1 (2004{\textendash}2005) and were followed up between 2006 and 2015, to investigate the association between religiousness and health including a lifestyle index. Results from the longitudinal models adjusted for age and gender showed that being religiously educated by parents, taking part in a religious organization, and praying were factors associated with fewer risk factors of unhealthy lifestyle. Furthermore, being religiously educated was associated with lower odds of self-rated poor health and depressive symptoms. Results were overall consistent across the cross-sectional and longitudinal models and persisted after further adjustment for education and marital status. These findings provide support for a positive relationship between religiousness and health among Danes, particularly for those being religiously educated by their parents.",

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AU - Herold, Steffen Christensen

AU - Hvidt, Niels Christian

AU - Möller, Sören

AU - Christensen, Kaare

AU - Ahrenfeldt, Linda Juel

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N2 - Evidence of a possible association between religion and health in secular societies is sparse. We therefore conducted a nationwide study using data from 1596 Danes aged 50 + who participated in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) wave 1 (2004–2005) and were followed up between 2006 and 2015, to investigate the association between religiousness and health including a lifestyle index. Results from the longitudinal models adjusted for age and gender showed that being religiously educated by parents, taking part in a religious organization, and praying were factors associated with fewer risk factors of unhealthy lifestyle. Furthermore, being religiously educated was associated with lower odds of self-rated poor health and depressive symptoms. Results were overall consistent across the cross-sectional and longitudinal models and persisted after further adjustment for education and marital status. These findings provide support for a positive relationship between religiousness and health among Danes, particularly for those being religiously educated by their parents.

AB - Evidence of a possible association between religion and health in secular societies is sparse. We therefore conducted a nationwide study using data from 1596 Danes aged 50 + who participated in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) wave 1 (2004–2005) and were followed up between 2006 and 2015, to investigate the association between religiousness and health including a lifestyle index. Results from the longitudinal models adjusted for age and gender showed that being religiously educated by parents, taking part in a religious organization, and praying were factors associated with fewer risk factors of unhealthy lifestyle. Furthermore, being religiously educated was associated with lower odds of self-rated poor health and depressive symptoms. Results were overall consistent across the cross-sectional and longitudinal models and persisted after further adjustment for education and marital status. These findings provide support for a positive relationship between religiousness and health among Danes, particularly for those being religiously educated by their parents.

KW - Denmark

KW - Depression

KW - Lifestyle

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KW - Self-rated health

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DO - 10.1007/s10943-020-01050-3

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Is Religiousness Associated with Better Lifestyle and Health Among Danes? Findings from SHARE

Abstract

Finansiering

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