Obesity is the number one public health problem in the developed world today. Weight loss schemes vary from simple diet plans to risky gastric bypass surgery.

But Christians have another weapon in the arsenal against obesity -- the opportunity for prayer. In the Best Weigh nutrition and weight loss program, prayer is an important component of a multi-faceted approach to weight loss.

Prayer was found to be an independent predictor of successful weight loss in multiple Best Weigh programs coast-to-coast. Best Weigh also encourages daily Bible Study and daily contact with church members who offer encouragement.  

This article is one of a series on forgiveness and its' health benefits.

Florida State University conducted research on prayer and forgiveness. The objective? To test whether praying for a relationship partner would increase someone's willingness to forgive that partner. Participants who were assigned to pray for their romantic partner reported greater willingness to forgive that partner than those who described their partner to an imagined parent.