New research shows that married couples living together in happy marriages grow stronger … literally.
According to a study by the University College London (UCL Institute of Education), men and women over the age of 60 were physically more capable than their unmarried, widowed or cohabiting peers.
On average, British men who were first married were 0.73 kgf stronger than men who were widowers or never married.
Married Englishmen moved 8 cm per second faster than widowers and 11 cm per second faster than single Englishmen, a sign of good health. Married women also moved more energetically than single ladies - 8 cm per second.
“We know from previous research that married people live longer and report better physical and mental health, but there is limited evidence of a link between marriage and the physical performance of older people,” said lead author Dr. Natasha Wood of UCL.
"A significant advantage that married people have is that they are, on average, richer than those who are not married, and greater financial opportunity is associated with better physical condition."
The study, published in the journal PLOS One, analyzed data from over 20,000 people in Britain and the United States from the 2008 England Aging Survey and the US Health and Retirement Survey (HRS) in 2006 and 2008. …
The researchers used two measures of physical performance in older adults aged 60 and over. These indicators - walking speed and grip strength - are good indicators of people's well-being, as well as their future social care needs and risk of death.
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People who have weaker gripping forces will find it more difficult to open a can of food and hold other items, while people with a lower walking speed will find it difficult to cross a pedestrian crossing at a green light in time.
Dr. Wood added: “With more people entering old age without being married, or being single as a result of divorce or the death of a spouse, our results could mean that more and more people may face difficulties in the future. daily activities as you age."
“Social protection and financial improvements for single older people who are single can help ensure that they have a level playing field with married people.”
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