WE OFTEN HEAR MARRIAGE IS GOING OUT OF STYLE, but it’s still the most common way for us to live. In 2015, there were 12.5 million married couples in the UK and more than 3 million cohabiting partnerships, according to research by the Office for National Statistics. In comparison, just 7.7 million aduIts Iived alone.
And there’s increasing evidence that getting hitched is about more than a pretty frock and confetti. Marriage, it appears, keeps us alive! A study from Warwick University found married men were 6.1% less likely to die over a seven-year period than their single friends. A trip up the aisle was also (to a lesser extent) good for women, reducing the risk of premature death by 2.9%. But while there are many positive health benefits to being married, there are some drawbacks, especially for our waistlines. We looked at the latest research to review the health ups and downs of marriage, and offer strategies for beating the bloat.