Women who get married in middle age are MORE likely to be obese because they eat more romantic dinners - while late-life divorcees hit the gym

  • Researchers looked at 79,094 post-menopausal women between 50 and 79
  • They were then separated into 3 groups depending on their marital changes 
  • Those who had become married were found to weigh on average 2lbs more
  • While women going through a divorce tended to be skinnier, the study found

By Stephen Matthews For Mailonline

Published: 08:19 EST, 7 February 2017 | Updated: 09:05 EST, 7 February 2017

Women who get married later in life are more likely to put on weight, new research suggests. 

But going through a divorce after the menopause has the opposite effect - leaving them prone to shedding a few pounds.

However, experts claim it isn't as a result of being depressed - it's because happy couples tend to sit down and eat large meals with each other.

While those going through a painful separation tend to take more care in their appearance, attending the gym more often and taking up a healthy diet to try and compete for a mate. 

Women who get married after going through the menopause are more likely to put on weight because they will often sit down to eat with their new husband, scientists claim

Women who get married after going through the menopause are more likely to put on weight because they will often sit down to eat with their new husband, scientists claim

Much research has been conducted on younger women experiencing marital changes, but studies are scare on the same effects on those older.

To delve into the subject, researchers from the University of Arizona looked at 79,094 post-menopausal women aged between 50 and 79.

They were placed into one of three groups: single to married, married to divorced and those who's status didn't change over a three-year period.

Weight, waist circumference and blood pressure were all monitored in the study, which was published in the Journal of Women's Health.

They found that all of the women who started the research as single saw some weight gain over the period.

But this is completely normal for women as they go through the ageing process.

But going through a divorce after the menopause has the opposite effect, a study found

But going through a divorce after the menopause has the opposite effect, a study found

However, those who went from being single to married gained slightly more weight - to the equivalent of 2lbs or more. 

While the reason for extra weight gain is not entirely clear, the researchers suggested it could be down to a decline in physical activity.

THE PROVEN BENEFITS OF MARRIAGE

Marriage can prevent you from fracturing a hip in your old age, a study claimed in January.

Elderly men are 50 percent less likely to fracture a hip if they are married, while elderly married women cut their risk by 30 percent, researchers found.

Swiss scientists said a possible reason was that seniors who live with their partner are less likely to be malnourished or depressed, making them less frail.

Where as women who divorced lost a modest amount of weight and went down some in inches, they also discovered. 

They were found to have the most improved diets and reported having a more active lifestyle.

However, going through a divorce did make people more likely to take up smoking - potentially as a way to fight stress. 

Study author Dr Randa Kutob said: 'The interesting thing we found in our study is that with divorce in post-menopausal women, it's not all negative, at least not in the short term.

'It does seem that these women are consciously engaging in healthier behaviors after divorce.

'With divorce, some women take that moment to focus more on their own health, as it would appear from our results. 

'Even a pretty devastating life event like a divorce can have some positive outcomes, and if we can encourage the positive it will probably help those people cope as well.'

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