Men are 3 times more likely to be obese after getting married

Research published in the Lancet medical journal earlier this month found that global obesity rates have doubled since 1990, with more than 2.5 billion people now obese.

While unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, genetics or living environment are known to increase the risk of obesity and overweight, scientists at the National Heart Institute in Warsaw (Poland) wanted to find other factors.

After analyzing the health of 2,405 people with an average age of 50, determining the relationship between weight gain and age, marital status, mental health..., the research results showed that married men are 3.2 times more likely to be obese than single men. But there is little difference in this risk between women before and after marriage.

The reasons why men gain weight easily after marriage are said to be due to increased food intake, more social gatherings and reduced physical activity. Meanwhile, women are still highly conscious about maintaining their weight due to social pressure.

For overweight people, the Warsaw study found that marriage increased the risk of being overweight by 62% in men and 39% in women. Age also contributed to overweight and obesity. For every additional year of age, the risk increased by 3% and 4% in men, and by 4% and 6% in women.

Hoanna Syrda, a lecturer in business economics at the University of Bath (UK), conducted a similar study in 2017. His team found that men's BMI (body mass index) increased after marriage, only decreasing before and after divorce.

The main reason may be that single men are looking for partners who are more motivated to stay in shape. Another factor is that married men can eat more meals, have access to nutritious food, and are well cared for by their wives.

Jim Pollard, an adviser at the Men's Health Forum, warns that rising BMI in marriage can also stem from work stress, constant overtime and unhealthy eating.

"Men are more likely to die prematurely from heart disease and cancer, and weight is a major factor in this. We need a more targeted approach to tackle obesity in both men and women," the adviser said.