• Posted August 22, 2024

Marriage Gives Health Boost to Older Men, But Not Women

A wedding band may be good medicine for men as they age, but not so much for women, new research shows.

A three-year study of over 7,600 Canadians aged 60 and older found that men who got hitched were twice as likely to "age optimally," compared to guys who remained single.

Marriage offered no such aging benefit to women, however. In fact, single women were twice as likely to age optimally as a woman who'd been married but who lost her mate through death or divorce.

It's thought that gaining a spouse helps men, especially, as women take an active role in monitoring their health.

“It may be that married people encourage each other to adopt or maintain positive health behaviors such as quitting smoking or exercising regularly," said study co-author David Burnes, a professor of social work at the University of Toronto.

In the new study, all participants started in good health and data was collected on how "successfully" they were aging.

According to a university news release, optimal aging was defined as "freedom from any serious physical, cognitive, mental or emotional conditions that prevent daily activities, as well as high levels of self-reported happiness, good physical health and mental health."

The findings on marital status weren't entirely surprising, Burnes said.

“Previous studies have shown that marriage is associated with better health outcomes for both men and women, while men who were never married generally had the poorest health outcomes,” he noted.

Beside the findings on marriage, the study found that being socially isolated was a clear risk factor for poor aging.

"Being socially connected with others is important, especially in later life," said Eleanor Pullenayegum, a professor in the university's Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation.

"Having regular contact with relatives, friends and neighbors can help older adults feel connected, reduce their sense of loneliness and improve their overall well-being,” Pullenayegum explained.

Physical factors such as avoiding obesity, getting regular exercise, sleeping well and not smoking were also connected to optimal aging, the study found.

“It is so important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, no matter how old we are," said study senior author Esme Fuller-Thomson.

“For example, it is never too late to quit smoking. In our study those who were former smokers were much more likely to be aging optimally than those who continued to smoke," said Fuller-Thomson, who directs the university's Institute for Life Course & Aging.

The findings were published Aug. 21 in the Journal International Social Work.

More information

Find out more about healthy aging at the National Institute on Aging.

SOURCE: University of Toronto, news release, Aug. 21, 2024