Beliefs, Practices, or Culture? A Mixed-Method Study of Religion and Body Esteem

Research has found that religiosity often predicts better body esteem. However, existing research examines these concepts more broadly instead of diving into the nuances of why religiosity might have positive effects. The present article describes two studies (one qualitative and one quantitative), examining multiple indicators of religious experiences among members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and how each might relate to individuals' body esteem. The qualitative study consisted of 111 participants (Latter-day Saints) who described how religious doctrines, teachings, and local church culture were associated with how they felt about their bodies. These ideas were then explored in a quantitative study consisting of 1,333 Latter-day Saint participants. Results from both studies suggest that an understanding of religious doctrine (e.g., divine nature, belief in Heavenly Parents, the Atonement of Jesus Christ) had a consistent and positive impact on body esteem. Conversely, religious teachings (e.g., perfection, modesty) were mixed in nature, related to both positive and negative body esteem. Finally, there was wide variety in local congregation culture and how it influenced body esteem. For example, individuals in congregations that were accepting, supportive, and diverse in nature (e.g., body shape and size, clothing and style, race) tended to have significantly better body esteem than individuals in congregations with higher levels of judgment, competitiveness, pressure to conform, and comparisons. Results are discussed with specific attention to implications for religious leaders, teachers, and members. Collectively, these results suggest a nuanced examination to understand the ways (both positive and negative) that religion might influence body esteem.