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.
Ah, my dear, I'd never preen. What I am doing however is teasing you mercilessly. ;)
And loving every minute of it, I might add...
Best Regards, Ivan
In the investments world, high risk is often associated with high return.
"Hmmm..." grumpster said, although thinking in his mind that this could be another Arkancide in the making... with the grumpster himself as the "cide." LOL!
Well, I do ocassionally get to St. Louis...
grumpster, at a loss for words, says:
Best wishes to you,
-grump
I'm in no hurry. I hurried the last time with my marriage (to a South African) and that turned out badly. And perhaps I rushed things with my Hungarian ex as well (she needed more than 8 years to figure out what precisely she wanted of me).
I believe that most of the best relationships happen due to serendipty - an accidental discovery. My father met my mother in a parking lot, for example, when his car wouldn't start. Similarly many relationships occur per accidens. And it's not really something you can plan for.
Best Regards, Ivan
You mean she made you read the manual? Real men would never resort to such a demeaning practice. My goodness, what the world has come to. . . -:)
In the investments world, high risk is often associated with high return.
Not anywhere else, particularly in marriage.
Government will LOVE this news. Nexct they'll tell us that they should take in millions in taxpayer money to start an advertising campaign decrying the evils and perils of staying single, have a new 'unwed' tax (sin tax? LOL)established to "help pay for" all of the increased costs to Medicare and Medicaid, and ban singles from restaurants, airplanes, and especially singles' bars. Then we can sue "Big Bachelorhood", including beer, Playboy, sporting events, and all varieties of porn. We can change the ages for legal marriage, post the faces of divorcees in the local papers to shame them, and boycott any TV shows that show singles in public, thereby "glorifying" them.
I always figured fast food was going to be attacked after they were done destroying legal tobacco. I missed this guess.
Just promise that they will not play "the chicken dance" at your reception.
Umm.. So you are literally dressing like a jedi. Is this a Star Wars themed wedding? Nerd alert! :)
That's an excellent synopsis of what I'm doing now. ;)
My thanks.
Best Regards, Ivan
As my friends surely would agree, that would be uniquely difficult to achieve. ;)
Regards, Mad Ivan. ;)
As my friends surely would agree, that would be uniquely difficult to achieve. ;)
Regards, Mad Ivan. ;)
When a bullet is headed your way the optimist will stand there because he is shure the shot will miss his skull. The pessimist on the other hand will duck because he knows it could be a lucky shot and hit him.
Guess who lives longer?
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