Marriage and Divorce Make You Fat
When women get married, they tend to put on weight. When men get divorced, they do the same. From ABC.com:
A study of more than 10,000 people found that marital changes can leave both partners packing on the pounds, with the most worrisome weight gain in newlywed women and recently divorced men.
"After marriage or divorce, both men and women gain weight. But women tend to gain more weight after marriage, and men tend to gain more after divorce," said study author Zhenchao Qian, a sociology professor at Ohio State University. Qian and postdoctoral student Dmitry Tumin presented their findings today at the American Sociological Association annual meeting in Las Vegas.
I'm not surprised by the female side of the data. After navigating the brutal world of dating and mate-finding, it makes sense that a lot of women, once the battle is won and the prize is claimed, might loosen up on the ruthless single-girl diet. And then when the children arrive -- first as hungry little babies, both inside and out; then, later, as toddlers leaving tantalizing half-eaten grilled cheese sandwiches on their plates -- who wouldn't put on a little extra?
On the other side, though, I guess I always assumed that divorced men suddenly dropped the pounds, got a new haircut (or even new hair) and headed back into the dating pool. But this data says otherwise. In fact, it suggests that divorce doesn't lead to freedom and renewal and all the things we've been told. It seems to say that men who get divorced get depressed and overeat.
Women are healthier when they're single and alone. Men are healthier when they're married and settled down. Who says God doesn't have a wicked sense of humor?
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Comments :
Jul '10
Re: Marriage and Divorce Make You Fat
Rob, you overlooked the possibility that men put on the pounds because they no longer have a wife nagging them and making them do chores around the house. The freedom to live on beer and pizza again carries a heavy cost.
Aug '10
Re: Marriage and Divorce Make You Fat
Gaining Weight ≠ Unhappy
Mar '11
Re: Marriage and Divorce Make You Fat
Ladies: Send all emails to R. Long, Hollywood.
From "A Bridge Too Far":
Lt. Colonel J.O.E. Vandeleur: Have you ever been liberated before?
Col. Robert Stout: I got divorced twice, does that count?
Lt. Colonel J.O.E. Vandeleur: That counts.
And it has nothing to do with the conversation, but it's one of my all time favorite lines from any movie:
"Am I not a man? And is a man not stupid? I'm a man, so I married. Wife, children, house, everything. The full catastrophe." - Zorba the Greek
Oct '10
Re: Marriage and Divorce Make You Fat
A man gaining weight after a divorce is a sign of stress relief.
Dec '10
Re: Marriage and Divorce Make You Fat
Sweet, I have something else to blame my ex for! Lasagna, you're off the hook.
Jun '10
Re: Marriage and Divorce Make You Fat
Reminds me of the old joke that begins with "Why is the bride smiling … " Unfortunately I can't finish it because it's a CofC buster.
Jun '11
Re: Marriage and Divorce Make You Fat
Soooooo.........from a Progressive point of view, women should not be allowed to marry and men should not be allowed to divorce.
Then, we'd just have to deal with childhood obesity and everything would be great. Hmmm.....I wonder if there is a study on infanticide's effects on fat kids?
Mar '11
Re: Marriage and Divorce Make You Fat
Rob: See what you started? Rimshots galore.
Dec '10
Re: Marriage and Divorce Make You Fat
Those pitchers of beer and dozens of wings at Hooters aren't going to scarf thenselves, ya know?
Dec '10
Re: Marriage and Divorce Make You Fat
"it makes sense that a lot of women, once the battle is won and the prize is claimed, might loosen up on the ruthless single-girl diet."
Rob, you're so insensitive, I love it (being a prize that is).
Aug '10
Re: Marriage and Divorce Make You Fat
From experience , I can tell you that divorce makes one lose weight, then you immediately start picking up afterwards. And you can often gain some weight too.
May '10
Re: Marriage and Divorce Make You Fat
Rob Long: ......On the other side, though, I guess I always assumed that divorced men suddenly dropped the pounds, got a new haircut (or even new hair) and headed back into the dating pool. But this data says otherwise. In fact, it suggests that divorce doesn't lead to freedom and renewal and all the things we've been told. It seems to say that men who get divorced get depressed and overeat.
Women are healthier when they're single and alone. Men are healthier when they're married and settled down. Who says God doesn't have a wicked sense of humor? ·
I think you got that exactly right, Rob. So what is your excuse for avoiding slender and healthy happiness?
May '10
Re: Marriage and Divorce Make You Fat
Three children and 18 years of happy marriage and I weigh almost the same as my wedding day. So, don't lump all married women into this.
Mar '11
Re: Marriage and Divorce Make You Fat
Is not the relevant point here, that this 10k participant study produced a useless bit of information paid for, by more than likely, a government grant. How is society served by its results?.....Hogwash....If it wasn't a waste of government money then it was certainly a waste of some ones.
Aug '10
Re: Marriage and Divorce Make You Fat
"Hey Fatty, I got a movie for you: A Fridge Too Far!"
Aug '10
Re: Marriage and Divorce Make You Fat
Yeah, but you're über.
Dec '10
Re: Marriage and Divorce Make You Fat
I believe this provides the perfect illustration of Rob's point:
http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=240141&title=break-up-sweatpants
May '10
Re: Marriage and Divorce Make You Fat
Misthiocracy
Yeah, but you're über. · Aug 26 at 8:29am
In fact. Rubber Duckie is about 10 lb lighter than she was for our wedding (no, we were not "expecting"- first offspring was born 3 years later). But the broad numbers do tend to support the basic point. And Rob still hasn't published his list of excuses....