AIM: To examine the relationship between spiritual fitness and overall physical fitness, and their resulting impact on feelings of depression and anxiety in individuals being treated for cancer. METHODS: Thirty patients completed the McG ill Quality of Life questionnaire and the Spiritual Fitness Assessment survey, and were asked to classify themselves as "Religious" or "Non-Religious". After the questionnaires were completed, each patient underwent a comprehensive fitness assessment, which included assessments for VO2 max, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and body composition, as well as height, weight, and resting heart rate and blood pressure. The data collected were averaged and analyzed using a one-way ANOVA test at the 0.05 level of significance. RESULTS: Of the 30 participants, 17 classified themselves as "religious"(R) and 13 classified themselves as "nonreligious"(NR). The R group had a higher body fat percentage and a lower VO2 max than the NR group. However, these results were not significant. It was also determinedthat the R group scored themselves significantly higher than the NR group on the Spiritual Fitness questionnaire, but reported significantly higher levels of depression and anxiety than their non-religious counterparts. CONCLUSION: Health beliefs did not necessarily back up health practice; specifically, those respondents who classified themselves as "religious" reported that their beliefs positively influenced their health behaviors, yet physiological and psychological data did not support this claim.
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