Tying activity to spirituality may help some people be more active.PODCAST

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat. HHS HealthBeat Download MP3 for PODCAST

Tying activity to spirituality may help some people be more active. Researchers checked how that works by enrolling about 60 African-American women over 60 years old in physical activity programs through their churches.

For half of the women, the programs included Scripture readings that focused on making their lives better; the others got non-religious health material.

The researchers say the group that got Scripture did more walking at six months. O. Kenrik Duru at UCLA led the research, and says:

I’d really advise people to ask around. If it’s not in your church, then maybe a church in your community is offering physical activity with a faith-based component.’’ (7 seconds)

The study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

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HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.