Marriage and Health - 2/ 10/07

[Smartmarriages]

Here's one to print and keep in your "benefits of marriage folder". Not news
to us but nicely examined.  - diane

Health In Sickness and in Health:
Marriage seems to help men and women live
longer, say researchers
By Greg Lavine
The Salt Lake Tribune
Feb 6, 2007 

Marriage seems to help men and women live longer, say researchers.

Newly-married couples may not feel any healthier moments after exchanging
their vows, but those benefits will likely start to accumulate over the long
haul.

Researchers have found that marriage tends to improve the health of husbands
and wives. On average, marriage helps keep both partners healthier than
their single friends.

"The literature is pretty clear that married men and married women live
longer than people like them who are not married," said Linda Waite, a
University of Chicago sociologist.

Studies have shown that marriage can lower stress levels and reduce heart
failure rates, according to the Mayo Clinic's Web site.

However, some people are skeptical about the health-related claims for
marriage.

Kelsey Tyson, who is not married and a consultant to singles in Salt Lake
City, doubts that marriage reduces stress levels. Adding in-laws, and
children, can create more causes of stress than for those who live on their
own, he said.

In his observations, he has found "singles to be of better health than their
married counterparts."

Researchers have yet to pin down an exact cause for why such changes seem to
happen to married couples, but statistical examinations suggest the pattern.
Nicholas Wolfinger, a University of Utah researcher who has studied marriage
issues, said pinning down such a cause is a challenge in the social
sciences. But the marriage benefits appear to be there.

"People who are married are healthier, happier and live longer lives," he
said.

Many experts argue that men receive a bigger health benefit than women from
marriage, said Sven Wilson, a Brigham Young University researcher who has
studied the benefits of marriage.

To many, this may seem like common sense. Stereotypes depict bachelors as
drowning in a sea of empty pizza boxes and cigarette butts, only seeking
medical attention in life-or-death situations.

Then Ms. Right enters the picture, lifting the poor man from his life of
squalor. She introduces him to vegetable-filled meals and regular medical
check-ups.

This is sometimes referred to as the "nagging spouse" theory to some, and
the "concerned spouse" theory by others.

Waite said there may be some merit to this idea, as single men often lack a
health support network. Suddenly, a wife is there to monitor the man's
health and encourage him to see the doctor more often.

Part of the reason that wives may not see as big a health boost as husbands
is that women tend to start out healthier, said Waite, co-author of the book
The Case for Marriage: Why Married People are Happier, Healthier and Better
off Financially.

Women are more likely to have a health support network, consisting of female
friends and relatives, in place long before marriage.

Wolfinger is no longer sold on the idea that women are rescuing men through
the bonds of matrimony.

"That's the old conventional wisdom," he said. "I think both people benefit
a lot."

Another potential explanation is the notion that healthy people tend to
marry other healthy people, Wilson said.

Likewise, people who are less healthy seem to find spouses of similar
habits, he said. Despite this idea, there still seems to be at least some
health boost in most types of marriage.

Wilson said, in some cases, marriage helps partners modify poor behavior,
such as excessive drinking or smoking.

There are also the elements of social and emotional support that come with
getting married. Husbands and wives can share each others burdens in times
of stress, Wilson said.

Other health benefits could be tied to the financial advantages of marriage.
In situations where both partners work, the combined incomes provide a
better sense of financial security. Couples also may have access to two
health care plans.

Obesity factor: It remains unclear whether one reason or a combination of
many results in the health benefits of marriage. But there is a notable
exception to this idea - obesity.

A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention paper suggests that
married people, especially men, are more likely to be obese than single men.
Married women are also more likely than never-married women to be
overweight.

Wilson said high-conflict marriages can be a problem in terms of health.
Couples who constantly argue may not reap the same level of health benefits
as those who have smoother-sailing relationships.

On the other hand, couples who cohabitate for long periods do not appear to
enjoy the same health benefits that accompany marriage. Wilson suggested
that it may be because married couples have more of a vested interest in
keeping one another healthy.

Waite also noted that people who were once married experience a decline in
health once they are on their own. This problem extends to both divorced
couples as well as partners of spouses who have passed away.

While researchers may never be able to scientifically prove the "concerned
spouse" theory, they may one day find a physical reason for the health
benefits of marriage. For now, couples will just have to take heart knowing
they are probably doing something right when it comes to staying healthy.

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