The following is excerpted from the Church News. To read the full article, CLICK HERE.
Teachings of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints lead to a more positive body perception and relate to more positive outcomes, according to new research from Brigham Young University.
“Generally, spirituality and religiosity tend to be related to better body esteem across all religions,” said Sarah M. Coyne, a professor of human development in the BYU School of Family Life. “We wanted to break it down to see why. What are some things that are beneficial, and what can we do better at?”
Coyne’s research team interviewed and conducted surveys with active members of the Church in Utah, the broader United States and other countries. They found that beliefs such as the Atonement and divine nature, practices like the Word of Wisdom and modesty, and cultures on the ward level all contributed to body image and esteem.
Beliefs
The research team asked questions about the following beliefs: divine nature, the plan of salvation, the Atonement of Jesus Christ and perfection.
They found that a belief in the Atonement of Jesus Christ was strongly related to better body image. “Then, a belief in divine nature — the idea that I’m a child of God and the plan of salvation and the purpose of my body — was all related to better body image,” said Coyne.
The research paper quoted several of the study participants. An International middle-aged woman, described her gratitude for the plan of salvation, which helps her take care of her body.
“I think any harsh negative thoughts I have about my body can be dispelled if I really think about the [belief] of eternal spirits, and why we’re here on Earth, and I’m just so grateful I have this knowledge,” she said.
To read the full article, CLICK HERE.