Health Benefits for Men from Marriage
Wedding vows might mean a longer and healthier life for men, but not necessarily for women. Tom Britt explains.
The traditional view of marriage is that it's something a woman wants, while a man avoids it as long as possible. But studies have shown that in practical terms, it should be the other way around. Dr. Marty Sullivan is a heart specialist with Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Sullivan says once a man puts on that wedding ring, his health tends to improve and his life expectancy increases, even if it's an unhappy marriage. However, for a woman to see any health benefits, she requires happiness in her marriage. Otherwise, she's better off alone.
"Some health statistics have shown that men do better when they're married. Men's health is better when they're married and women's health is better if they're happily married or if they're alone. A bad marriage for a woman is not that good for her health, but any marriage is good for a man."
Sullivan says it's not clear why these gender differences exist, but additional studies are planned to investigate and determine the cause. I'm Tom Britt.