Experts find marriage triples the risk of being overweight by 62% in men — it's not the same for women

Getting married might bring about significant changes in a person's life in terms of how they use their time, their responsibilities and more. Surprisingly, it could also increase the risk of obesity in men due to a wide variety of reasons. New research has found that getting married can increase the risk of obesity in men by a whopping 62%. The team from the National Institute of Cardiology in Warsaw, Poland, found a link between marriage and obesity, but the results were quite different for men and women, as per the  New York Post.

While men were three times more likely to become obese after getting married, it did not have a significant impact on women's obesity levels. However, a woman's chance of being overweight increased by 39 percent after getting married. The study also pointed out that each year of increase in age can also increase the chance of gaining weight for both men and women, regardless of their marital status. The research included 2,400 adults over the age of 50. The US also happened to have the highest rates of obesity among high-income countries, as per the outlet and 42 percent of men and 46 percent of women were considered obese in 2021. This can be quite concerning as obesity can increase the risk of diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and more.

172 million adults over 25 years of age were obese in the US in 2021 and the number is expected to come to 214 million by 2050. While both men and women might experience weight gain after being married, men are more likely to experience it when compared to women. Authors of the study believed that such a difference could be because of the difference in how both genders perceive obesity. According to another study published in the journal Economics & Human Biology, men were more likely to have an increased BMI in the first five years of being married. It pointed out how they tend to eat more and exercise less as they continue to be married for years.

Married people tend to have a higher BMI than single people, with research going as far as to say that if a person is satisfied with their intimate relationship, they are more likely to gain weight. It is called the increased pounds "happy fat." The study also found that women living in communities smaller than 8000 people were 46% more likely to become obese and 42% more likely to become overweight. While the same factor did not have an impact on men's BMI. "Age and marital status have an undeniable impact on living with overweight or obesity in adulthood regardless of sex," the researchers remarked.

Other factors that increased the risk of obesity in women included being depressed and having inadequate literacy about health. "This study is yet another reminder that excess weight is driven by a complex mix of social, psychological and wider environmental factors – not simply personal choice. With each passing year, the risk of living with overweight or obesity increases, particularly for women. Meanwhile, the link between marriage and obesity in men highlights how lifestyle changes, habits and societal expectations shape our health," Katharine Jenner, the director of the Obesity Health Alliance, told The Guardian. "Instead of blaming individuals, we need policies that make healthy choices the easy choices – through better food environments, education and support at every stage of life."