After watching a group of newlyweds for four years, the researchers found that the happier people in a marriage, the greater the likelihood that they will be overweight.
Scientists from the Southern Methodist University invited 169 young couples who had already been married for six months to take part in the study and watched them for four years. The husbands, on average, were 25 years old, and their wives were 23. Eight times they had to answer questions regarding their satisfaction with marriage and weight.
Satisfaction was positively associated with weight gain. Spouses who were more satisfied with each other, as a rule, gained more weight than those who faced the problem of family relationships. Moreover, the weight gain was peculiar to both spouses.
How to explain the extra pounds? Scientists have suggested that couples who are less satisfied with their relationship may be thinking about divorce. Therefore, they may be trying to maintain an ideal weight to attract a new partner.
At the same time, couples who are happily married, see each other more and eat more together, and having dinner in the company of other people may result in people eating more.
And although the average weight gain in four years was not so great, scientists do not exclude that this figure will increase over time.
Health problems, including weight maintenance, are relationship problems. If you love your partner, you should take part in his health, as well as take care of maintaining your health.
