They make less risky choices, are wealthier, have fewer alcohol problems and have more satisfying sexual relationships. With bachelors, only six of 10 men lived to age 65. With married women alive at 48, nine out of 10 survive to age 65 while 8 of ten single women do. An analysis showed that married people start practicing healthier lifestyles after they marry. Married couples encourage responsible health behavior in each other and care for each other when sick.
Marriage generally reduces stress and creates better immunity in the body.
Recent research presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychosomatic Society in Monterey, Calif., shows that divorced men are more likely to drink, smoke, commit suicide, develop Alzheimer's disease and die prematurely. In the current trial of nearly 30,000 men, vegetable intake declined by more than three servings per week in men following the death of a spouse, and nearly two servings per week after a divorce. Divorced men were also more likely to smoke than their married peers but those who remarried were likely to quit, findings show. Dr. Ichiro Kawachi from Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Mass., speculates that the health of newly singled and widowers decline because of the absence of their wives' influence and contributions to medical visits, health consciousness and cooking. Newly single men also increased their consumption of fried foods outside the home.