- Increased risk if both married-partners are overweight
Marriage triples the risk of obesity for men, but does not affect women, according to research.
Global obesity rates have more than doubled since 1990, with more than 2.5 billion adults and children classed as being overweight or obese. Worldwide, more than half of adults and a third of children are predicted to be overweight or obese by 2050.
While poor diet, inactivity, genetics, environmental toxins and underlying health conditions are known to increase the risk, scientists/researchers at the National Institute of Cardiology in Warsaw, Poland, examined the medical and general health data of 2,405 people with an average age of 50. The study, presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity, found that married men were 3.2 times more likely to be obese than unmarried men, but that there was no increase in the obesity risk for married women. Marriage also increased the odds of being overweight by 62% in men and 39% in women.
The findings came after a study conducted in China last year (2024) found that the male body mass index (BMI) increases for the first five years after marriage, owing to the higher calorie intake and less exercise. It found that being married was associated with a 5.2% increase in men being overweight and a 2.5% rise in men being obese.
An earlier study by the University of Bath found that, on average, married men were 1.4 kilograms heavier than their unmarried counterparts.
The Warsaw research found that age was also a factor in weight gain, with each year of increased age increasing the risk of being overweight by 3% in men and 4% in women, and the risk of obesity by 4% in men and 6% in women.
Some factors appeared to affect the odds of obesity only in women. Being depressed doubled the risk of women being obese and inadequate health literacy increased it by 43%, while obesity was more common among women living in smaller communities. None of these factors increased the men’s risk.
Obesity Health Alliance Director, Katharine Jenner said: “Excess weight is driven by a complex mix of social, psychological and wider environmental factors – not simply personal choice. The risk of living with being overweight or obesity increases, particularly for women. The link between marriage and obesity in men highlights how lifestyle changes, habits, and societal expectations shape our health. Men may be more likely to gain weight after marriage due to factors like increased portion sizes, social eating, and a decline in physical activity, whereas women perhaps remain more conscious of body weight due to societal pressures. We need policies that make healthy choices through better food environments, education, and support at every stage of life.”
A Lecturer in Business Economics at Bath, Joanna Syrda said that male BMI increases after marriage and decreases just before and after divorce. The main possible reasons are that single men looking for a partner have higher incentives and exert more effort to stay fit than those who are already or still married. And, those in relationships may eat more regular meals and/or richer foods due to social obligations, which may arise because of marriage.”
A Consultant at the Men’s Health Forum, Jim Pollard cautioned that the increased BMI in marriage could be a result of stressful careers with long hours and unhealthy meals. “Men are more likely to die prematurely of heart disease and cancer, and weight is a key factor in these conditions.”
(The Guardian)