March 13, 2025 – Marriage has long been linked to better health and a longer life for men, but new research out of Poland challenges that assumption.
According to findings from the National Institute of Cardiology in Warsaw, married men have triple the risk of obesity, compared to unmarried men. The study, which has yet to be published, analyzed medical data from 2,405 people in Poland with an average age of 50. It found that married men were 3.2 times more likely to be obese than their unmarried counterparts.
This trend did not apply to married women. Researchers, who will present their findings at the European Congress on Obesity in Malaga, Spain, in May, suggested that cultural differences in attitudes toward obesity in men and women may explain the discrepancy.
But marriage appeared to increase the likelihood of being overweight in both sexes – by 62% in men and 39% in women. Age also played a role. Each additional year increased the risk of being overweight by 3% in men and 4% in women, while the risk of obesity rose by 4% in men and 6% in women.
"Age and marital status have an undeniable impact on living with overweight or obesity in adulthood, regardless of sex," the researchers concluded.
A Contradiction to Previous Research
The Polish study runs counter to prior research, which has generally found that married men are healthier and have fewer medical conditions than unmarried men. Just last year, a study of 7,000 Canadians linked marriage to "optimal aging" in men.
Past studies have consistently shown that married men tend to adopt healthier lifestyles, often influenced by their spouses. Research has linked marriage to lower rates of smoking, reduced alcohol consumption, better diet, and increased likelihood of seeking medical care—all factors that contribute to a longer, healthier life. A landmark study from 2011 in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that married men had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a higher survival rate after heart attacks compared to their single counterparts, reinforcing the widely held belief that marriage offers protective health benefits.
More broadly, numerous studies have shown that being overweight or obese increases the risk of serious health conditions, including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, cancer, osteoarthritis, obstructive sleep apnea, and gallstones.
Obesity: A Growing Global Concern
Obesity is a worldwide and worsening problem. A study in The Lancet found that between 1990 and 2021, the prevalence of overweight and obesity more than doubled in adults (ages 25 and older) and in children and adolescents (ages 5 to 24). By 2021, 2.11 billion adults and 493 million young people worldwide were classified as overweight or obese.
Experts are beginning to understand obesity as a combination of genetics and things in the environment. While researchers are still trying to figure out how to help people lose weight and keep it off, most agree on a few things:
- Avoid processed carbs. Lots of evidence links refined grains and added sugar to weight gain, though the exact reasons for that association are debated.
- Eat more fiber. Vegetables, fruits, and whole grains are widely recommended by weight loss experts. The World Health Organization also recommends legumes.
- Exercise can help you keep weight off.
- Ask for help. Obesity is now widely considered a disease. It’s reasonable to seek medical help.
Obesity is typically defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, while being overweight is classified as a BMI between 25 and 29.9. You can find your BMI using WebMD's online calculator.
