Fatter-day Saints

I once spoke in church about the dietary parts of the Word of Wisdom and how overeating was just as sinful as smoking, drinking, or -gasp- coffee. It was not well-received.

It is clear now that they should have listened and been guilted into eating less.

That said, I weigh more now that I did then.

It's kind of funny. I'm considerably lighter now than when I was LDS... but not by as much as I was for a time. I dropped almost 50 lbs, and that has now shrunk (or inversely grown, I guess) to only about 15...

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Matthew P. Barnson

Yes, but is that 4.6 pounds or muscle or fat? I heard that report on the radio this morning as well, and also wondered if the non-Mormon Utahans included in that study are immigrants from Mexico who are on average shorter that the gringo Nortes.

Let it skew, let it skew, let it skew...

I also wonder if another major contributor to weight statistics may be in play here... age.

Is it possible that Utah Mormons are also older, on average? If so, that factor may have as much to do with it as anything.

They reported on both a Mormon proclivity to higher weight and higher obesity rates, the latter presumably accounting for height (but not muscle? I don't know.). I'm always skeptical of media reporting on scientific studies, too.

Not to mention the "who cares" factor.

It is interesting to speculate what the researchers at BYU had hoped to find with the study. I'm sure a faith-promoting study about the positive effects of living the Word of Wisdom would have lifted their spirits.

"BYU Study Proves God Likes Mormons Better Than Anyone Else"

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Ben

Instead of "Science Finds (again) That Death Has Been Going On For Longer Than 6000 Years"

"Style Mavens Declare That Secret Ritual Underwear is the New Black"

(disclaimer: I kid because I love)

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Ben