For a long time scientists believed that marriage provided health benefits to both women and men. However, a recent research of 10,000 people in UK has found that married women didn’t show profound health benefits, as compared to single ladies, while married men were healthier than the ones living on their own.
Scientists from 3 London academic institutions (School of Economics and Political Science, School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and University College) joined their forces to analyse and record effects of long term partnerships and marriage on people’s health in middle age.
The main characteristics considered in the study were the metabolic syndrome (high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes) and respiratory deceases. To provide comparable data, a cohort of men and women born in the same week of 1958 was selected. Trained nurses visited their homes and performed detailed examinations.
Results:
- Single women showed similar levels of health as their married counterparts.
- Men in both official and de-facto marriages demonstrated better health than unattached males.
Divorce had some short-term detrimental effects on men’s health but it would improve if they entered another partnership. In general, males who re-partnered after a divorce would demonstrate about the same level of health as the ones who lived with the same partner since marrying in their 20s or 30s.
Surprisingly, the effects of divorce on women were the opposite. Ladies showed an improvement in their health levels following divorce in mid to late 20s, with 31% less chance to develop the metabolic syndrome as compared to wives in stable relationships.
In general, health levels of both genders would decline with age, with married women who never divorced showing the best levels of health. Differences in married and unmarried women were not profound, however, not having a long-term partner had proven to be significantly disadvantageous for men. For example, single men were 14% more likely to develop heart problems.
The conclusion: Men are better off married.
For women, having a long-term partner is not crucial in view of their health — although we know that sharing life with someone special is more enjoyable than living alone.
Another research in 2011 found that married people had 15% less chance of premature death, while 2014 study by the World Heath Organization pointed out that married people had fewer problems with depression.
Here is another reason for you, guys, to take it in your hands and change your life for the better: You will live a healthier (and hopefully, longer) life!
Research published: American Journal of Public Health
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Agree, men and women should be and live together. It’s the law of the Nature. People are social beings and consciously or unconsciously every person wants to be a part of a family even if it causes some health problems. Especially for women, as they are meant to bring a baby to this world and it’s not an easy matter. Nevertheless, most women for sure want to be a wife and a mother. Woman’s health would suffer more if she is alone and didn’t give birth to at least one child.
Atridiz, The research mentioned in this story tells us exactly the opposite: being married has no additional health benefits for a woman in a western society, statistically. People have too many misconceptions about women’s health, for example, that they “have to have a baby”, which is, apparently, not true. Single women who never married were on average just as healthy as married women at the same age. However, men were a different story. They were on average significantly healthier if they were married. This shows us that women are strong enough in their mind to take care of themselves, whether… Read more »
That’s what I’m saying too- no health benefits in marriage. Still people are looking for each other and most of them want to live together. As for equal health level of both married and single women- yes, in general they are healthy ( blood pressure, etc), but “woman’s sphere” suffers more if a lady is single. F.e. Almost all of my single female friends aged 35-37 constantly have “female” problems (and operations). And married ones don’t have such problems.
Atridiz, But this research clearly shows that western men DO have health benefits in marriage. You are in Russia, right? The reason your single friends have “woman’s sphere” problems is because they at all times try to “look beautiful” hoping to attract a partner and wear short skirts, thin stockings, and pretty shoes in Russian winters when it’s minus 15 degrees outside. Married women stay at home and dress warmly when they go out because they don’t need to “look pretty” in hopes to “meet the man of their dreams” on a bus to work. (You believe, “Your Destiny will… Read more »
Elena,
The reason is not the weather conditions)))), but a “woman’s program aimed at giving a birth to an at least 1 child”, but ok it’s a topic for another story. Not here….))
Imaginary “conditioning”, typical for Russian chauvinistic propaganda. See more: Why Slavic women want to marry foreign men From the same medical books as the title “old mother” for women over 25 giving birth. There is a lot of nonsense being promoted as “scientific facts”, in order to make women believe they “must” get married. When Russian scientists do a balanced research among 10,000 participants, and it’s proven by facts, I may believe you, but there still could be lots of other reasons: abortions, infections, rather than the “natural need to become a mother” in order to stay healthy. (Women who… Read more »
Hi Elena,
A different subject…..sorry.
How important is a common language in successful international relationships?
It seems to me that communication is the key to any relationship and I wonder how we can communicate really effectively when we don’t speak a common language fluently? Did you speak Australian (English) when you started? Have you any statistics from your website for this?
Thanks in advance.
Jim
Jim, All Russian and Ukrainian people study English (or another foreign language – French, German, Spanish) at school for 5 years. A high school qualification is compulsory in these countries. If a woman has a university degree, she would have studied the language for another 3 years. So, basically all people in post-USSR countries know the language, although if they haven’t been using it actively, they may struggle to express their thoughts initially. But there is a strong base in place: vocabulary, knowledge of grammar, all they need is to talk to real people. Most ladies usually take courses of… Read more »
As far as men are concerned they do not take care of themselves as much as women do. women can not only take care about the house and their children but also of their husbands. Usually women do much more job in a marriadge than men do. That is the differnce.
I think that married men feel themselves more confident than bachelors because they don’t need to worry about the household, cooking, cleaning. They begin to live a more sedentary life. Don’t go in searching of his beloved and unique woman. Wives give them affection and care. At the same time, the woman feels the restriction of her freedom. She does everything for her family, not just for herself, as it was before. She doesn’t look after herself, as she will be in the care of the child. But if a woman has a caring and understanding husband, he will always… Read more »
I still believe that marriage will be the benefit for both only if there will reign love and mutual understanding. As corny as it may sound. When one person devotes himself to marriage, and the other gives nothing in return, then it leads to collapse.
I have nothing against the self. Still photos of yourself in the bathroom is too much. There are many other more attractive locations for this.
I guess to share your life with someone you really love is a dream of every women. I’m not against a lonely life, but as a rule, in that time there is no one who could support you as your husband. Many of us looking for love for a long time, making mistakes, falling in love and eventually live together. Someone would prefer to think that love comes itself and believe dreams will come true while others are afraid of relationship. I think there are a lot of reasons why some of us try to get rid of being married.… Read more »
Lis-alis,
I think the most profound finding of this research was that being married was certainly positive for men’s health in the long term, and quite significantly. And even though women didn’t show such profound change from single to married health-wise, it doesn’t mean that the level of happiness is the same for married and unmarried ladies. I guess if you are with a wrong partner, you may be sadder than someone who doesn’t have a husband at all. But if you are with the right person, it’s amazing!
Anyway, it’s all just “averages”. 🙂
Life is never about averages!
Of course the man and woman to live together. This creates a family, which must be strong and united. Otherwise, life is meaningless and lonely souls wandering the world in search of happiness.
IMHO Many men live for someone, i mean they love when their dilligence is assessed by others and only then they try to improve themselves. While women with that mindset are miserable, because they give themselves to relationships and forget about their pleasure. It’s cool when a woman loves her life and does things that she likes to do. And if she doesn’t want kids, it’s her choice. The worst thing that people do is having children and family because «it’s a custom» although they don’t take any pleasure in that. What’s the point? to say proudly that i bore… Read more »
Bottom line for women: in your 20s marry 3-4 times, and divorce, then your health will be way better! 🙂 In fact single ladies do have better health and overall well being. This is probably why there is correlation that after men die younger, their “lonely” women live longer. It was proven that women overall are less healthy than men, and most women are in couple relationship. I was always more sick when in relationship and always felt healthier and happier when alone. Marriage is beneficial only to men unless a rich man can wash his spouse in money. Money… Read more »