Posted on 08/20/2002 1:13:54 AM PDT by JediGirl
The health benefits of being married are so large that single men are at greater risk of dying than smokers, says a study.
The study looked at comparative risks over a seven year period - but experts warned that the lifetime risks of smoking were much higher.
Scientists have frequently found that married men and women tend to be in better health than their single counterparts.
This is partly because of the "social support" of having a wife or husband - and perhaps because both single men and women have a worse lifestyle - and no-one to look out for their wellbeing.
However, the latest study, by researchers at the University of Warwick, looked at thousands of records from the British Household Panel Survey and the British Retirement Survey.
It found that, even when the effects of smoking, drinking and other poor lifestyles were taken into account, married men had a much lower risk of death.
Over a seven year period, the married male had a 9% lower risk of dying compared with an unmarried one.
When smoking and drinking in this group was taken into account, the benefit was reduced to 6.1%.
Not money
The effect was less for women - reducing the risk of mortality by 2.9%.
According to the Warwick calculations, a male smoker had a 5.8% greater risk of dying, and a female smoker 5.1% extra risk.
Professor Andrew Oswald, who led the research, suggested that male smokers should get wed as soon as possible to counteract the risk.
He said: "Forget cash. It is as clear as day from the data that marriage, rather than money, is what keeps people alive.
"It makes perfect sense to ask how a ring of gold can possibly do this.
"But the honest answer is, that we don't know."
However, while over a seven year period, the risks of smoking compared to single life might be roughly comparable, the lifetime risk to smokers is much higher.
A long-term smoker is thought to have a one in two chance of dying prematurely.
Whether the lifetime risk of being single even begins to approach this figure is highly dubious.
It just feels that way.
God keeps people alive.
I resent being callled high risk. ;) But anyway, I suspect this study was done by married men who want to feel better about their lot in life. Meanwhile I, as a single person, don't have to worry about having my head cut off for leaving the lid down on the loo. ;)
My blood pressure surely is the better for it. ;)
Regards, Ivan
Depends on the lady. If you leave the lid down before going to bed, then lights out, the lady stumbles in the dark and sits on the lid where she expects to be the seat...I think you follow my meaning.
Regards, Ivan
Except for this German nutjob I dated for a while, none of it would have mattered. This wench wanted me to pee sitting down so it wouldn't make a mess. I was out of that one the next day.
The bachelor code book (aka Sports Illustrated) contains today's code key on page 26. ;)
Regards, Ivan
Unwise. As I say, I am reasonably certain some women will take offense that some men escaped the net. ;)
Regards, Ivan
Women in general outlive their spouses.
Statistically women who have undergone childbrith live shorter than their old maid conterparts.
Most single men are too independent to be participating in studies thus skewing the statistics of these studies and making them meaninless.
All my married male friends generaly wish they weren't.
Married men try to convince their single pals that marriage is great even though visual evidence proves otherwise. More proof that misery loves company.
I intend to live forever and I will do this by avoiding a stressfull relationship with a woman whose brain is wired differently and is more difficult to figure out than my Windows based PC.
If GOD had wanted man to be married we would have been born that way.
Long live Burger King and Chinese take out food. :-)
So I'm working my way to immortality, mate. ;)
Oh and a Windows based PC is nothing in comparison to the complexity of the female mind. ;)
Regards, Ivan
It occurred to me that the study may have been funded by divorce lawyers seeking to "prime the pump".
Indeed. This would definitely be in line with their level of cunning.
Regards, Ivan
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