The Good and Bad Health Effects of Marriage (Proven by Science!)

Marriage is without a doubt a complex experience. Some people will tell you it's great; others will tell you it's the worst. It's not easy to do, yet it's great to try. It is truly one thing in life that has as many upsides as downsides. Science backs this up. There have been countless studies about marriage. Some say it's good, some say it's bad. In general, one would think being married is a healthier way to live. But again, it depends on who you ask, and what studies you read.

The "marriage protection hypothesis" — basically, that marriage has a beneficial impact on health — is well known. This is especially seen in males, as studies show that married men live much longer than single men. Of course, a single guy would say, "You might live longer, but I'm happier," and hey, we're not disputing that. But many studies show that being married really does help us become healthier. A recent report from Harvard researchers showed that married people were able to identify cancer earlier and were thus less likely to die from the disease than unmarried people.

This all makes sense. Being married means having someone around all the time. That person knows you and can tell when you're sick. That other person can also inspire you to try to live a healthier life. Things only increase when people have kids. Suddenly, there's even more reasons to stop drinking so much, get more sleep and eat healthier. But that last part — people's diet — is where the negatives of marriage start creeping in.

In a 2008 paper appropriately titled "For better or worse: relationship status and body mass index," scientists from Lafayette College in Pennsylvania note that marriage increases obesity rates. "Getting married raises the risk of a woman becoming overweight by 3.9 percentage points compared to peers who did not marry, and marriage increases her risk of obesity by 1.4 percentage points," explains Slate. "The effect is more pronounced for men. Married men see a 6.1 percentage point rise in the risk of becoming overweight and a 3.3 percentage point increase in the risk of obesity."

This finding is the direct opposite of the marriage protection hypothesis. Instead of making each other healthier, marriage is making some people fatter and unhealthier. Why? Well, it might just be that some people "give up" when they get married. No longer seeking to impress someone, they stop going to gym and eat worse. It could also be because married couples end up having kids, and kids demand a lot of their time. That means less time for that workout.

The one good thing about marriage being so up and down is that you can pick which one suits you. Want to get married? Great! You're going to live longer and be healthier. Don't want to get married? Great! You could get morbidly fat if you do. Pick your poison. There's plenty to go around.

[Image via Flick -The U.S. National Archives]