Why even an unhappy marriage is good for your health

An unhappy marriage is better for your health than being single or divorced, a study suggests.

People who live with a spouse are less likely to have high blood sugar levels that can lead to type 2 diabetes, regardless of how harmonious or acrimonious their relationship, according to research.

Experts believe that couples influence each other’s behaviors, such as diet, and tend to have a higher shared income, which can also lead to healthier eating.

Previous research has found that marriage can lead to a number of health benefits including longer life, fewer strokes and heart attacks, lower risk of depression, and healthier eating than single people.

But the researchers wanted to hone in on how a long-term relationship affects blood sugar levels, which may be the result of factors including what we eat, hormones and stress.

They analyzed data from more than 3,300 adults, aged 50 to 89, from the English Longitudinal Study of Aging.

People were asked if they had a husband, wife, or partner with whom they lived, and 76 percent of participants were found to be married or cohabiting.

They were also asked questions to examine the level of tension and support within the relationship.

The results were then analyzed alongside data collected from blood samples taken every four years that measured average blood glucose levels, known as HbA1c.

Experts from Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, and the University of Luxembourg found that those who were married or cohabiting had blood sugar levels that were on average one-fifth (21 percent) lower than those single, divorced or bereaved. The same applied to both men and women, the results showed.

Relationship quality did not make a significant difference in average blood glucose levels, which they acknowledged was surprising in light of previous findings suggesting that supportive relationships are more beneficial.

However, those who experienced marital transitions, such as divorce, also experienced significant changes in their HbA1c levels and odds of prediabetes, the condition that often precedes diabetes.

Katherine Ford, from Carleton University, Ottawa, who led the study, suggested that the relationship showed how people’s health could be intertwined in relationships.

She said: ‘I would speculate that marriage and cohabitation partnerships require a particular emotional investment over a long period of time. The prominence of this type of relationship likely means that its loss may have implications for health, such as average blood sugar levels.”

More than 4.9 million people in the UK have diabetes, according to the latest figures from Diabetes UK, with around 7 million at risk of developing the disease.

There are also some 850,000 people living with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes, and the vast majority of cases are linked to an unhealthy lifestyle.

According to the findings, published in the BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care journal, relationships may be key to keeping blood sugar levels low, and any relationship is better than no relationship.

They suggest greater support for older adults experiencing divorce or bereavement and that relationships in later life should be encouraged to reduce the risk of health problems.

The researchers conclude: ‘Overall, our results suggested that marital/cohabiting relationships were inversely related to HbA1c levels, independent of dimensions of marital support or stress.

“Similarly, these ratios appeared to be protective against HbA1c levels above the prediabetes threshold.”