Together, “in sickness and in health.” It is a passage of the rite that sanctions the union of two souls in marriage. But the classic formula that is pronounced at the altar could ideally be modified. In fact, it would be appropriate for him: “More in health than in sickness.” At least according to what science says. A new study has in fact discovered that marriage is strongly associated with optimal health and well-being in men dealing with advancing age. In short, the wedding ring on the finger makes you age well. But it is valid for him, not for her. Because, on the contrary, no association has been found between marriage and optimal aging in women. As if to say that for the other half of the sky, marriage does not change your life.
The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto who followed more than 7,000 middle-aged and older Canadians for about three years and found that men who were married or who had gotten married during the study period were twice as likely to age optimally as their male peers who had never married. Among women, however, those who had never worn a wedding ring were twice as likely to age optimally as those who had gotten married and then widowed or divorced during the study period. Married women did not differ significantly from never-married women in terms of healthy aging.
“Little is known about the relationship between marital status in later life and successful aging. Our goal was to see whether it is associated with physical health and well-being, and whether these associations differ for men and women,” explains first author Mabel Ho, a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work and the Institute of Life Course and Aging. The researchers defined optimal aging as being free of a serious physical, cognitive, mental, or emotional condition that impedes daily activities, and having high levels of perceived happiness, good physical health, and mental health. The study is published online in the journal International Social Work, uses data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, and the study sample was limited to the 40 percent of participants who were considered successful aging at the start of the study.
“Previous work has shown that marriage is associated with better health outcomes for both men and women, while men who have never married have generally fared worse on this front,” says David Burnes, professor and Canada Research Chair at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto. “It could be that married people encourage each other to adopt or maintain positive health behaviors, such as quitting smoking or exercising regularly.”
The research shows the importance of social connections: older adults who were not socially isolated were more likely to maintain optimal health in old age, and those with regular contact with relatives, friends and neighbors were more likely to age optimally than isolated older adults. “Being socially connected to others is important, especially in old age,” says Eleanor Pullenayegum, Senior Scientist at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and a professor at the University of Toronto. “Having regular contact with relatives, friends and neighbors can help older adults feel connected, reduce their feelings of loneliness and improve their overall well-being.”
The study also found that lifestyle factors, such as maintaining a healthy body weight, being physically active, not suffering from insomnia, and not smoking, are important for maintaining optimal health in old age. “Our findings,” Ho concluded, “may inform the development of programs and services to engage and support older adults, particularly those who have never married or have experienced widowhood, separation, and divorce in adulthood.”
#Marriage #good #science
