It’s not exactly shocking, but a new study found that married men tend to have a higher BMI than unmarried men and men tend to gain weight after becoming a parent.
Weight gain after marriage and fatherhood
The research, which was published in the journal Social Science & Medicine, looked at data from 8,729 heterosexual couples whose information was part of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. Originally designed to be about family income, the data included information not only on marital status and offspring but also body mass index.
The School of Management at the University of Bath research team found married men had a BMI that was about 3 pounds more than unmarried men. In addition, in the first few years after becoming a father, men’s BMI increased. The opposite was true for men just prior to or after getting a divorce; their BMI decreased.
Interestingly, the BMI of married women wasn’t influenced by marriage or parenthood.
Why married men and fathers gain weight
There are two theories that may explain why married men and fathers tend to put on weight. One is that single men tend to be more focused on fitness in order to find a partner. The other is that married men eat richer, unhealthy foods due to greater social engagement.
More research is needed, but the researchers believe their study will help offer insight into how marriage and parenthood affect weight in men.
“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,” says study co-author Dr. Joanna Syrda. “For married men who want to avoid BMI increases that will mean being mindful of their own changing motivation, behavior and eating habits. Given major public health concerns about obesity, understanding more about the social science factors that can cause weight fluctuation is important.”
