An interesting paper notes that marriage is associated with a increase in BMI (4.6 pounds for men and 5.8 pounds for women) over two years, and correspondingly, a divorce is correlated with a similar loss in BMI (1.8 for men and 2.7 for women). The authors attribute the weight gain to increased intake of high caloric foods and decreased physical activity. Interestingly enough, spouse BMIs are related in terms of weight gain and not with weight loss. This does provide evidence to the theory about weight control being modified by a shared environment (as we learned for friends and family in 200C). But rest assured with the fact that the authors found that BMI gain or loss does not predict the prospect of divorce.
An interesting aside from one of my favorite health bloggers gives a good economic rationale for why Americans are unhappy with their body image, and that the best thing you can do is align your ideal body image more with your current body state.
Also, for your body image related knowledge, here's an interesting Q and A with the author of The Fattening of America, a book that's atop by Christmas break reading list all about how America incentivises people to be gain weight then lose it. Well worth a read.
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I wonder - are there any stats that connect an asymmetrical gain in BMI by one spouse, with higher rates of divorce.
That's interesting, b/c in the last few weeks I've heard of two couples that had gotten divorced. Although I was not privy to their personal issues, nor do I wish to be, in both cases one person of each couple had gained a significant amount of weight, while the other did not. There may not be a connection there, but I guess when people "let themselves go," there may be a possibility their spouse could "let them go."
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