A new study has found that men get fatter after marriage, and the early days of fatherhood add to the problem. The findings were published in the journal Social Science and Medicine.
The results, researchers say, confirm a few theories that have been put forth in past research.
First, they say, is that the data shows people who are single but are looking for marriage tend to have more of an incentive to stay fit and make more of an effort than their married counterparts.
The study also proves the theory that marriage lead to attending more social gatherings that often involve rich foods.
“It’s useful for individuals to understand which social factors may influence weight gain, especially common ones such as marriage and parenthood, so that they can make informed decisions about their health and well-being,” said Joanna Syrda from the University of Bath in England.
The study suggests that married men who want to avoid increases in Body Mass Index (BMI) should be mindful of their own changing motivation, behaviour and eating habits.
When fatherhood hits, men see a further increase in their BMI in the early years after childbirth, but not when their wife becomes pregnant. Men’s BMI, however, begins to fall in the periods just before and after a divorce.
The researchers found that married men have a higher BMI than their non-married counterparts, adding approximately 1.4 kg to the scales.
According to a 2016 study by the European Association for the Study of Obesity involving 150,000 men, higher BMI and waist circumference are linked with an increased risk of aggressive prostate cancer.
Researchers round that for every 5kg/m2 increase in BMI, there was a 10 per cent increase in developing the aggressive form of the cancer – and for every 10 centimeters added to the waist circumference, the risk increase rose by 13 per cent.