All The News That’s Fit: Praiseworthy heart health, cranky donors and a deep-fried duel

A new study suggests that participating in religious activities, from church services to private prayer, and holding deep spiritual beliefs are linked to better cardiovascular health among Black Americans, who as a group tend to have poorer heart health than non-Hispanic White people, including higher rates of death and disease.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, found that participants who reported more religious activity or deeper levels of spiritual beliefs were more likely to meet key measures for cardiovascular health including physical activity, diet, smoking, weight, blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels.