Is marriage better for men or women? New health study aims to debunk previous conclusions

Marriage has long been thought of as improving the health of both men and women.

Marriage is the most powerful commitment next to God that two people can make. Joining together as one for eternity and supporting each other through sickness and health is a bond like no other. However, a scientific study suggests that getting married may be less beneficial for women. Conducted by the University College London, the London School of Economics and The London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the new research aims to point out that the health risks of unmarried women is lower than that of single men.

MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - While previous studies concluded that marriage improves the health of couples, this particular study focuses on particular partnership status and health among middle age people of both sexes.

The study suggests that health risks for unmarried women are nearly the same as those of married women the same age.

Single women showed higher risk of breathing problems than their married counterparts, yet this was significantly lower than the risk for unmarried men.

The same results were noted regarding the chances of developing heart problems - although there was a 14 percent increased risk for single men, there was no significant increase observed in unmarried women.

"Not marrying or cohabiting is less detrimental among woman than men. Being married appears to be more beneficial for men," said population health scientist, Dr. George Ploubidis, from the UCL Institute of Education.

Ploubidis added that their study found that getting divorced or experiencing separation and remarriage causes people to reach the same health risks as those who stayed in marriage, somehow disproving former studies where it was concluded that married people are healthier than those unmarried.

The new study also found that in the long-run, men are likely to regain their health after divorce.

The researchers observed about 10,000 people born in England, Scotland and Wales during the same spring week in 1958.

Regardless of the health benefits one may or may not receive from being married, the commitment is one made with God and that is the greatest gift of all.

---

'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'

Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online