Study shows marriage leads to weight gain

People who are married or in a relationship are urged to keep their diets in check as a study has found that couples, having settled into a comfort zone of deceptive security, tend to lose track of their eating habits and put on weight in a short period of time.

Scientists from Central Queensland University, Australia, analyzed data from some 15,000 people over the course of 10 years and found that those with significant others had gained an average of 5.7 kilograms per year, while unattached participants gained 1.7 kg per year, kompas.com reported.

Lead searcher Stephanie Schoeppe explained that when someone didn’t feel the need to look lean and attract his or her partner anymore, he or she would feel free to consume big portions of food high in fat and sugar.

She went on to say that couples who have become parents tend to finish their children’s food.

Jerica Berge, associate professor at the University of Minnesota’s department of family medicine and community health, claimed that the main reasons behind couples’ weight gain were romantic dinners and their food-related social behaviors.

On the other hand, researchers at Central Queensland University found that couples did not necessarily have an unhealthier lifestyle compared to singles. They claimed that people in relationships ate more fruit, tend to quit smoking, avoided alcohol and exercised together.

In spite of the weight gain, being in a relationship has its benefits, the university further explained, saying that married people tend to be happier, less lonely and have a more satisfying sex life than their single counterparts.

Studies have also shown that people who live with their spouse or partner have a 10 to 15 percent higher life expectancy as couples tend to look after each other’s well-being.

There are also benefits to being single, however, apart from slower weight gain. According to Psychology Today, people who embrace being single live their best, most authentic and most meaningful lives. - The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network