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Scientists have confirmed what women have always known: men become fat and lazy after marriage.
Men start packing on the pounds within five years of getting married because they eat more calories and exercise less, researchers found.
They found that marriage is “associated with a significant effect” on BMI scores: an additional 5.2 percent of married men are overweight and obesity rates increase by 2.5 percent.
However, there was no evidence of a similar trend among women.
Researchers found that men start packing on the pounds within five years of getting married because they eat more calories and exercise less (stock)
The study was conducted in China, but researchers believe this is an international problem.
Shiwen Quan of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences said: “This phenomenon, commonly known as ‘happy fatness’, has been corroborated by numerous cohort studies conducted in developed Western countries.
“After getting married, men tend to exercise less and eat more, which leads to a higher BMI.
‘Men face a significant risk of obesity as they age, 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 in female BMI after marriage.”
The study, published in Economics & Human Biology, found that male BMI scores continue to increase during the first five years after getting married, followed by a period of stabilization.
The researchers said it highlights the importance of promoting physical fitness and health management within families, and suggested that health authorities should target newlyweds with dietary advice.
They said public health policies should consider marriage as “a window of intervention” to address people’s weight control needs, and that “post-marriage body control plans” should be designed for both sexes.
Previous studies have found that the greater an individual’s satisfaction with their intimate relationship, the more likely they are to be obese.
A previous survey also found that the average person earns more than 2% after meeting their partner.
WHAT SHOULD A BALANCED DIET LOOK LIKE?
Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally whole grains, according to the NHS.
• Eat at least 5 servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried, and canned fruits and vegetables count
• Base meals are based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, ideally whole grains.
• 30 grams of fiber per day: This is equivalent to eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 whole grain crackers, 2 thick slices of whole wheat bread, and one large baked potato with skin.
• Eat some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soy drinks) by choosing low-fat, low-sugar options.
• Eat some beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 servings of fish each week, one of which should be fatty).
• Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consume them in small quantities
• Drink 6 to 8 cups/glasses of water a day
• Adults should consume less than 6 g of salt and 20 g of saturated fat for women or 30 g for men per day.
Fountain: NHS Eatwell Guide
