Long-term study over 16 years: researchers find out why couples are on the increase

Pairs according to the weight – regardless of a marriage. So couples take the about twice as much how to draw couples in the first four years of marriage, such as the Max-Planck-Institute for human development (MPIB) in Berlin on Monday reported. This effect remains even when influences such as age, children, sports, Smoking, health status, or Stress.

For the researchers this is evidence that the weight gain depends mainly with the relationship change. Because a Change in the relationship status often means a Change in the everyday eating habits – for example, a common Breakfast, this was taken place maybe, or modest would have been, said Ralph Hertwig, the Director of the Max-Planck-Institute and co-author of the study. In the company of the person usually eats more and takes more calories.

Researchers analyzed data from 20,000 people over a period of 16 years

Pairs, separate the Body Mass Index (BMI), the body weight of a person in relation to its body size decreases, in the case of women and men, however, again largely on the value before you move in Together. This is consistent with the so-called marriage market hypothesis, according to which people search for a partner trying to have a lower body weight, in order to increase their attractiveness.

That couples generally live healthier and longer than Singles, was already known, as well as the fact that they weigh, on average, more than living Alone. It was unclear how changes in relationships impact on the body weight and when couples are most increase. For the MPI researchers analysed together with experts from the universities of Mannheim and Leipzig, as well as the German Institute for economic research data from 20,000 people over a period of 16 years.

Men and women in divorce the most

As the study surprisingly shows, men and women in cases of divorce, the impact on separations, however, the most. As a possible explanation, the researchers indicate that many people – especially men – are at the later divorce in a new relationship.