Adventist Religion and Health Study

National Geographic reporter and author of The Blue Zone, Dan Buettner highlighted just a few locations on the globe where people tend to live longer, and Loma Linda, California is the only locale in the United States.

The prominent Seventh-day Adventist population in Loma Linda makes the area a "blue zone" where, on average, people live years longer than other Californians. A major factor is that many Adventists do not smoke, eat meat, exercise regularly, and fellowship with others in their church congregations.

The latter is the major focus of the Adventist Religion and Health Study. Numerous studies have shown that people who attend church live longer and it is clear that a healthier lifestyle accounts for only part of this longevity. In this study we are trying to understand, in a nationwide sample of Adventists, what specific aspects of religion account for better or worse health and trace some of the biopsychosocial pathways to health. The study group includes members from the Schools of Public Health, Medicine, Religion, and the Department of Psychology. The study is funded by the National Institute of Aging.

Study Details

View an outline of the cohort profile, being published in the International Journal of Epidemiology. The full article includes background information, abstract, measurement instruments, and comparisons of the participants with national norms. The full article is available at Oxford Journals but because they hold the copyright you would need to pay them to download the article unless you have access to the journal through a university or research library. An overview of the study may be found below under study resources.

Study Resources

LLU scientists study the connection between religious practices and health
Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Adventist Religion and Health Study Overview (PDF)

Sabbath and Health (PDF)

Contact

Jerry W. Lee, PhD
Professor of Health Promotion and Education
Loma Linda University School of Public Health
(909) 558-4575
jlee@llu.edu