CDC Releases new study on Marriage Health Benefits - Get Ready! - 12/04

[smartmarriages at lists101.his.com]

- MARRIED ADULTS ARE HEALTHIEST, NEW CDC REPORT SHOWS
- MARRIAGE KEEPS YOU HEALTHY, U.S. STUDY SHOWS

####################
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released results today
confirming in yet another study what we already know, that married folks are
healthier. Be prepared for calls from the media.  OR, jump on this and send
the press release below to local journalists and offer to discuss the report
and WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT. Tell them you know how to improve the stability,
success and satisfaction of marriages in your community. Send me any results
- and articles, tv shows, etc. Go, go, go!! I expect this to be BIG news
today and in the coming weeks.  - diane

- MARRIED ADULTS ARE HEALTHIEST, NEW CDC REPORT SHOWS

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, December 15, 2004
To visit site: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/04facts/marriedadults.htm

Contact: CDC/NCHS Press Office
(301) 458-4800
E-mail: nchsquery at cdc.gov

Marital Status and Health: United States, 1999-2002. Advance Data, Number
351. 33 pp. (PHS) 2004-1250.
View/download PDF 620 KB

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests
that married adults are healthier than divorced, widowed or never married
adults.

The report, ³Marital Status and Health: United States, 1999-2002,² was based
on interviews with 127,545 adults aged 18 and over as part of the National
Health Interview Survey, conducted by CDC¹s National Center for Health
Statistics. The study looked at health status and limitations, health
conditions, health related behaviors according to marital status and also by
age, race/ethnicity and socioeconomic factors such as education and poverty
status.

Among the findings in the report:

- Nearly 60% of adults are married, 10.4% are separated or divorced, 6.6%
are widowed, 19% are never married and 5.7% are living with a partner.
Marital status varies greatly among race/ethnic groups: approximately 61
percent of white adults, 58 percent of Hispanic adults, and 38 percent of
black adults are married, according to the survey.

- Married adults are less likely than other adults to be in fair or poor
health, and are less likely to suffer from health conditions such as
headaches and serious psychological distress.

- Married adults are less likely be limited in various activities, including
work and other activities of daily living.

- Married adults are less likely to smoke, drink heavily or be physically
inactive. However, married men are more likely to be overweight or obese
than other men.

- Adults who live in cohabiting relationships are more likely to have health
problems than married adults and more closely resemble divorced and
separated adults.

- The association between marital status and health is most striking in the
youngest age group although it persists throughout the age groups studied.

While the results show that married adults are generally in better health
than unmarried adults, the reasons for better health status among married
adults cannot be determined with cross-sectional data collected in the
National Health Interview Survey. The report, ³Marital Status and Health:
United States, 1999-2002,² is available at the the CDC/NCHS Web site.

##########################
Here's the first interpretation/treatment I've found - this was on Yahoo a
few minutes ago.  - diane

- MARRIAGE KEEPS YOU HEALTHY, U.S. STUDY SHOWS
YAHOO - Dec 15, 2004
Health - Reuters
By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Correspondent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Marriage keeps you healthy, even though it can make
men fat, U.S. government researchers said on Wednesday

Married people are less likely to smoke, drink heavily or be physically
inactive, the report from the National Center for Health Statistics shows.

They are less likely than singles, divorcees or widowed adults to be in fair
or poor health, and are less likely to suffer from headaches or serious
psychological distress.

But the report finds that married men are more likely to be overweight or
obese than other men. "Never-married adults were among the least likely to
be overweight or obese," the report reads.

Health statistician Charlotte Schoenborn, who led the study, said more
research is needed to understand just why, for instance, married men weigh
more. "One can speculate based on one's impression of humanity but we don't
have any data to back it up," she said in a telephone interview.

"For the smoking rates between married and unmarried people, the differences
were quite remarkable," she added.

"One in five married adults were current smokers compared to four in 10 of
those living with a partner. Married people are about half as likely to be
current smokers as those who are divorced or living with a partner."

The report from the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (news - web sites), was based on
interviews with 127,545 adults aged 18 and over.

It finds that 58.2 percent of adults are married, 10.4 percent are separated
or divorced, 6.6 percent are widowed, 19 percent never married and 5.7
percent are living with a partner.

About 61 percent of whites, 58 percent of Hispanics and 38 percent of blacks
are married, it found.

People living together but not married are more likely to have health
problems than married adults, the survey found, and the findings hold
firmest for the youngest adults.

The report, which can be found in the Internet at http:/www.cdc.gov/nchs, is
in line with many other studies that show married people tend to be
healthier. There are two major theories as to why, said the researchers.

"Marriage protection is the theory that married people have more advantages
in terms of economic resources, social and psychological support, and
support for healthy lifestyles,' the report says.

"Marital selection is the theory that healthier people get married and stay
married, whereas less-healthy people either do not marry or are more likely
to become separated, divorced, or widowed."

Schoenborn, who has been following U.S. health statistics for more than 20
years, said she was interested to find out if the "marriage effect" on
health had changed as society's view of single and divorced people changed.

"I was looking to find out where things are currently, but I wouldn't say I
was surprised. My personal impression is that marriage probably offers a
level of stability," Schoenborn said.

###################

**************************
Send replies to this newslist to: diane at smartmarriages.com  Do not hit
"reply" - that goes to a filter.  This is a moderated list. Replies are read
by Diane Sollee, editor. Please indicate if your response is NOT to be
shared with the list.  PLEASE include your email address with your
signature. 

To SUBSCRIBE, or Change your subscription address,
use the form on our website: http://www.smartmarriages.com. Click Newslist -
right under the puzzle piece.

This newslist shares information on marriage, divorce and educational
approaches.  Opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by members of the
Coalition.

To read ALL past posts to the newsletter, visit the Archive at:
http://archives.his.com/smartmarriages/

9th Annual Smart Marriages Conference, Adam's Mark Dallas June 23 - 26, 2005
Pre and Post Conference Training Institutes June 21 - 29, 2005
Subscribe to the free e-newslist at http://www.smartmarriages.com
List your program in the Directory of Classes at
http://www.smartmarriages.com
Order conference audio & video tapes/CD/DVDs: 800-241-7785 or
http://www.playbacknow.com

Coalition for Marriage, Family and Couples Education, LLC (CMFCE)
Diane Sollee, Director
5310 Belt Rd NW,   Washington, DC 20015-1961
http://www.smartmarriages.com
202-362-3332
cmfce at smartmarriages.com

FAIR USE NOTICE: This e-newsletter contains copyrighted material the use of
which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We
make such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of
marriage, family, couples, divorce, legislation, family breakdown, etc. We
understand this constitutes a 'fair use' of such material as provided
for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17
U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit
to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included
information for research and educational purposes. For more information go
to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use
copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond
'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.