Marriages are at an all-time low. According to a 2011 Census Bureau analysis, since 1970 the median age for first marriages increased from 22.5 years to 28.4 years for men and from 20.6 years to 26.5 years for women. In 2000 57% of adults 18 and older were married. In 2010 it was 52%. Utah, Wyoming and Arkansas had the highest marriage rates. Maine, Alaska, Oklahoma, Kentucky and Nevada had the highest divorce rates. The decrease in marriages was attributed to more divorces, more couples living together, more job prospects for women and an uncertain economy. It seems the “for better or worse” is getting worse.
Marriage and divorce cause weight gain; but according to an Ohio State University study, couples are affected differently. Two years after marriage, couples had gained weight compared to their single counterparts - but wives had gained more. This was attributed to married women eating more and getting less exercise due to childbearing and maintaining a household. Two years after divorce, men and women had gained weight compared to couples who had stayed married - but husbands had gained more. This was attributed to husbands returning to their pre-marriage lifestyle. Obviously, the stresses of marriage and divorce “lie in weight”.
A study presented to the American Sociological Association found married couples affect each other’s bad eating habits. One hundred and twenty-two heterosexual, lesbian and gay couples – with an average age over 40 and an average relationship of 14-25 years – were asked about their interaction regarding unhealthy eating. Although there were bad influencers among all the couples, in straight couples it was almost always the husband who negatively affected his spouse’s eating habits. Homosexual couples had more synchronicity. They agreed on eatable indulgences. It seems there are lots of reasons pizza is America’s most popular food.
However, there is good news about marriage. It’s good for the heart. A study published in Health Psychology found people who were married when they had coronary artery bypass surgery were 2.5 times likelier to survive 15 years. However, men benefited whether their marriage was good or bad. Eighty-three percent of men with good marriages survived 15 years, but 60% with bad marriages survived that long too. Supposedly, the emotional component of marriage is more important to women. Men just need to have someone around – the ring on the finger not being as important as the ring around the collar.
Comments