Being obese/overweight increases the risks for several medical conditions. The list includes type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke. Longevity declines. A recent Polish study, of more than 2,400 subjects with a mean age of 50, now suggests that married men are 3.2 times more likely to be obese than their unmarried counterparts. That increased obesity risk, wasn't evident in married women. When married, however, both men (62%) and women (39%) showed increased risks of being overweight. These results broadly fit with other studies in China and the UK. Divorce, predictably, causes males to lose weight (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/mar/12/marriage-triples-obesity-men-women-study). After marriage, men may tend to gain weight as a result of increased portion sizes, social eating and reduced physical activity. Women may, however, remain more conscious of body weight due to societal pressures. Single men, looking for a partner, may also have a stronger incentive to appear fit, than already married counterparts. These results shouldn't be over-interpreted. Simply concluding that marriage is unhealthy for males and can be 'cured' by divorce, is obviously wrong. Putting on excess weight occurs for a complex mix of social, psychological and wider environmental factors. Messaging (on food intake and exercise), needs to encourage all folk, married or not; male and female, to maintain healthy body weights.
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