Receiving Support, Giving Support, Neighborhood Conditions, and Waist/Hip Ratios

Obesity is a major health problem in the USA, and as a result, it is important to identify the factors that help people keep their body weight within healthy limits. The purpose of this study was to see whether receiving support at church and giving support at church buffer (i.e., moderate) the effects of living in rundown neighborhoods on a key marker of obesity-waist/hip ratios (WHR). The data are provided from a recent nationwide survey of people age 18 and older (N = 1456). The findings reveal that giving support to fellow church members tends to offset the effects of living in dilapidated neighborhoods on WHR. In contrast, receiving support from coreligionists does not appear to perform a similar stress-moderating function. The theoretical underpinnings of providing support at church are discussed.