CHARLOTTE, NC- Prayer is supposed to nourish the soul... but does that mean calories?
A new study out of Northwestern University says if you're religious, you're more likely to be overweight.
"They have nothing to do with each other," said Andre Clark, a trainer at the Stratford Richardson YMCA in West Charlotte.
"It's religion… and it's health. If you don't work out and you don't eat right, you're not going to be healthy, regardless of what religion you and how often you go to church," said Clark.
The study found that young adults who attend church at least once a week are 50 percent more likely to become obese than those who don't attend religious services.
An assistant  priest at St. Matthew in Ballantyne says members there actually burn calories.
"We're standing, we're sitting, we're kneeling, we're sitting, we're standing, we're kneeling, we're sitting… we're moving," said Father Patrick Toole.
There's another explanation for other church events.
"We have our nights of Columbus breakfast here on Sunday morning…That's more of culture. People are always gathering around the table," said Father Toole.
Not just in the Catholic church. Other religions incorporate food for pot lucks and cook outs.
"There is a lot eating your fried foods and a lot of sweet tea, so with that… I think it's more of a mix of culture with religion," said Glory Brooks, a student at UNC Charlotte.
That mix is slightly skewed for some.
"I think it says something more important about contemporary obsessions about body size more than actually providing an explanation about a connection between religion and body size," said Kent Brintnall, a religious studies associate professor at UNC Charlotte.