It is not disease alone, which has caused a reduction in many forms of ritualistic and spiritual cannibalism. The spread of Christianity by missionary agencies has also led to a significant decrease in the practice. A National Geographic article, Island of the Pacific: For a Man-size Appetite, stated that by the close of the 19th century, Christian influences ended cannibalistic practices on the island of Fiji. In fact, the spread of Christianity is believed to have significantly diminished cannibalism worldwide.����