Men DO get fatter after they get married because they eat more and exercise less after tying the knot, scientists say
- Marriage has a ‘significant effect’ on men’s BMI scores, a new study has found
Scientists have confirmed what women have always known: men become fat and lazy after marriage.
Men start to gain weight in the first five years after tying the knot because they eat more calories and exercise less, researchers have discovered.
They said marriage has ‘a significant effect’ on BMI scores, which measure a person’s healthy weight – with 5.2 per cent of men becoming overweight after marriage and obesity rates rising by 2.5 per cent.
However, there was no evidence of a similar trend among women.
The study was conducted in China, but the researchers believe it is a universal fact.
Scientists have confirmed what women have always known: Men become fat and lazy after marriage (stock photo)
Men start packing on the pounds in the first five years after tying the knot because they eat more calories and exercise less, researchers found (stock photo)
Shiwen Quan of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said: ‘This phenomenon, commonly called ‘happy fat’, has been substantiated by numerous cohort studies conducted in developed Western countries.
‘After getting married, men often exercise less and eat more, which leads to a higher BMI.
‘Men are at significant risk of obesity as they get older, so after marriage it is important that they do not ‘let themselves go’ by maintaining healthy eating habits and exercising regularly.
‘In contrast, there was no clear trend for women’s BMI after marriage.’
The study, published in Economics & Human Biology, shows that men’s BMI scores continue to rise within the first five years after marriage, followed by a period of stabilization.
They said marriage has ‘a significant effect’ on BMI scores, which measure a person’s healthy weight – with 5.2 per cent of men becoming overweight after marriage and obesity rates rising by 2.5 per cent (stock image )
The researchers said it highlights the importance of promoting physical fitness and health management within families – and suggested health authorities should target newlyweds with nutritional advice.
They said public health policies should view marriage as “a window of intervention” to meet individuals’ weight management needs, and that “post-marital body management plans” should be designed for both sexes.
Previous research has shown that the greater an individual’s satisfaction with his or her intimate relationship, the more likely he or she is to become obese.
- A separate study has found that a woman’s scent can lead to premature death in men. Researchers in New Zealand found that exposing middle-aged male mice to a female’s scent caused them to “invest” body resources in their reproductive systems, leading to premature aging and increased mortality, giving new meaning to “femme fatal’.