Objective: Faith leaders often serve as health-related role models yet many struggle with obesity and self-care engagement. The purpose of this scoping review was to examine how the faith leader literature has defined self-care and examined obesity and obesity-related chronic disease.
Data source: Studies were identified through database (eg, PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO), backward, and grey literature (eg, dissertations) searches.
Inclusion/exclusion criteria: Studies published in English with participants who were 18 years or older and examined leaders across all faiths. Studies also included an examination of self-care behaviors among faith leaders within the context of obesity or obesity-related chronic diseases.
Data extraction/synthesis: Data synthesis was qualitative and informed by the six-step framework developed by Arksey and O'Malley (2005) as well as updated recommendations by Daudt et al (2013). Of the 418 studies identified and screened, 20 met the eligibility criteria.
Results: Studies were primarily cross-sectional and participants Christian faith-leaders in the US. Most studies did not define self-care or incorporate theory, but focused on vegetarian diets and physical activity engagement. Other self-care related behaviors (eg, sleep, days off), some unique to faith leaders (eg, sabbatical), were included but not systematically.
Conclusions: Research with more diverse faith leaders and that uses theory is needed to guide development of strategies for engaging this population in self-care to reduce obesity and related chronic diseases.
Keywords: behavior change; caring for self; chronic disease prevention; clergy; coping.