About 25% Switch Religions, Poll Finds

Almost one-quarter of U.S. adults have switched religious affiliation at least once, according to a survey by the Princeton Religion Research Center in Princeton, N.J.

The study found that switching to Protestantism is nine times more common than converting to Catholicism--81% to 9%.

The results are from a random national sample of 1,002 adults 18 and older April 9-12 by telephone. The margin of error is 3%.

Among Protestant denominations, 19% of the switchers left Baptist churches, followed by Methodists with an 11% loss and Presbyterians with a 6% loss. The Roman Catholic Church lost 18%.