Mar 17, 2025 07:00:00

Marriage triples men's risk of obesity, but has no effect on women

Previous studies

have shown that marriage has a positive effect on women's physical health and reduces psychological distress, but a study by the National Heart Institute in Poland found that marriage triples men's risk of obesity.

Married men really do let themselves go - the science that proves it
https://inews.co.uk/news/married-men-really-do-let-themselves-go-science-proves-3579519

Marriage triples risk of obesity in men – but not women, study reveals | Health | The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/mar/12/marriage-triples-obesity-men-women-study

Researchers from the National Heart Institute looked at medical and general health data, including weight, age, marital status, and other data from 2,405 adults. The average age of those surveyed was 50 years old, and 35.3% were considered to be of normal weight, 38.3% were overweight, and 26.4% were obese.

The study found that married men were 3.2 times more likely to be obese than unmarried men, and that 62% of men and 39% of women became overweight after marriage. Previous studies have also found that married men are on average 1.4kg heavier than unmarried men.

In addition, the study found that the risk of being overweight increases by 3% for men and 4% for women with each passing year, while the risk of obesity increases by 4% for men and 6% for women with each passing year.

However, in this study, unlike men, marriage did not increase the risk of women becoming obese. Research team member Alicia Chicha Mikolajczyk explained, 'Society's attitudes towards men living with obesity are different. They are treated more favorably than women who are also obese. On the other hand, women seem to accept being overweight, but not tolerant of living with obesity. They are also more likely than men to take various actions to lose weight, such as increasing physical activity.'

'Married men don't have to work so hard to maintain a normal weight if their partners accept it,' Mikolajczyk said. 'And their partners are more likely to tolerate an obese man if it meets their emotional and existential needs. So married men seem to pay less attention to their own health and weight.'

It has also been found that women with insufficient health literacy have a 43% increased risk of obesity, and women who suffer from depression have twice the risk of obesity. Katherine Jenner, director of

the Obesity Health Alliance , said, 'This study reminds us that obesity is caused by a complex combination of various environmental factors, including social and psychological factors. With each passing year, the risk of living with overweight or obesity increases, especially for women. Rather than blaming individuals, policies are needed to make it easier for overweight and obese people to make healthy choices through better food environments, education, and support at all stages of life.'