Editing Clergy (section)

==Health risks for ministry in the United States==
{{More citations needed|date=November 2022}}

In recent years, studies have suggested that American clergy in certain [[Protestantism|Protestant]], [[Evangelicalism|Evangelical]] and [[Judaism|Jewish]] traditions are more at risk than the general population of obesity, hypertension and depression.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Eagle |first1=David |last2=Holleman |first2=Anna |last3=Olvera |first3=Brianda Barrera |last4=Blackwood |first4=Elizabeth |date=July 2024 |title=Prevalence of obesity in religious clergy in the United States: A systematic review and meta-analysis |url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38572610/ |journal=Obesity Reviews |volume=25 |issue=7 |pages=e13741 |doi=10.1111/obr.13741 |issn=1467-789X |pmid=38572610|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Eagle |first1=David |last2=Holleman |first2=Anna |last3=Olvera |first3=Brianda Barrera |last4=Blackwood |first4=Elizabeth |date=July 2024 |title=Prevalence of obesity in religious clergy in the United States: A systematic review and meta-analysis |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/obr.13741 |journal=Obesity Reviews |language=en |volume=25 |issue=7 |doi=10.1111/obr.13741 |issn=1467-7881|doi-access=free }}</ref> Their life expectancies have fallen as of 2010, and their use of antidepressants has risen.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vitello |first=Paul |date=August 1, 2010 |title=Taking a Break From the Lord's Work |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/02/nyregion/02burnout.html |website=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Several religious bodies in the United States ([[United Methodist Church|Methodist]], [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal]], [[Baptists|Baptist]] and [[Lutheranism|Lutheran]]) have implemented measures to address the issue, through [[Workplace wellness|wellness]] campaigns, for example—but also by simply ensuring that clergy take more time off.

It is unclear whether similar symptoms affect American [[Islam|Muslim]] clerics, although an anecdotal comment by one American imam suggested that leaders of mosques may also share these problems.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/02/nyregion/02burnout.html?scp=1&sq=clergy&st=cse|title=Evidence Grows of Problem of Clergy Burnout|first=Paul|last=Vitello|newspaper=The New York Times|date=2 August 2010|access-date=24 February 2017|archive-date=9 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161009191659/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/02/nyregion/02burnout.html?scp=1&sq=clergy&st=cse|url-status=live}}</ref>

One exception to the findings of these studies is the case of American [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] priests, who are required by [[canon law]] to take a spiritual retreat each year, and four weeks of vacation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=CanonLaw.Ninja - Search Results |url=https://canonlaw.ninja/?nums=276 |access-date=2024-10-17 |website=CanonLaw.Ninja |language=en}}</ref> Sociological studies at the [[University of Chicago]] have confirmed this exception; the studies also took the results of several earlier studies into consideration and included Roman Catholic priests nationwide.<ref>
See A. M. Greeley, ''Priests: A Calling in Crisis'' (University of Chicago Press, 2004).
</ref> It remains unclear whether American clergy in other religious traditions experience the same symptoms, or whether clergy outside the United States are similarly affected.{{Citation needed|date=November 2022}}