Study finds men may gain weight after a divorce

Have you ever had a friend whom it seemed put on a few pounds after he got a divorce? You may not have been imagining it. A new study out of the University of Ohio in Columbus has found that while women tend to gain weight after marriage, men are more likely to gain weight after a divorce.

This study follows several others that have found other health risks associated with divorce, such as a shortened lifespan for divorced or widowed individuals and an increased susceptibility to chronic conditions. It is important to note, however, that these health consequences do not occur automatically when one divorces and can probably be overcome by consciously paying attention to one’s health.

The study’s author, a doctoral student in sociology at the University of Ohio, said that divorces for men and marriages for women seem to promote “weight gains that may be large enough to pose a health risk,” although in many cases the weight gain was not large enough to be a concern. In news coverage of his study, he has not publicized just how much of a weight gain may occur. Nor has he offered any reason for why men seem more likely to gain weight after a divorce, though some obvious factors may include changes in diet, exercise level and stress.

In both the case of women gaining weight after marriage and of men gaining weight after a divorce, the effects were less pronounced in people in their 20s and were more noticeable among those over 30. We gain weight more easily as we age, so there is obviously that correlation as well.

Of course, every person who is in the process of divorce has a laundry list of things to think about and health matters may not be tops on that list. It is vital to pay attention to one’s physical condition at any stage of life, however. If you are going through a divorce, make sure you do not forget to take care of yourself.

Source: United Press International, “Men pack on pounds after divorce,” Aug. 22, 2011.