WASHINGTON — Though married couples put on more weight than single people, they have healthier eating habits, according to a new European study out this week.
A new study shows that marriage packs on the pounds: an additional 4.5 pounds in men 5 feet, 11 inches and women 5 feet, 5 inches. According to the research, conducted by Medical Daily, married people don’t exercise as often, but they make healthier decisions in the kitchen.
Across nine European countries, German and Swiss researchers quizzed 10,226 people on their marital status and body mass index — which indicates healthiness based on height and weight. Researchers also asked about their eating and exercise habits.
“Our findings indicate that couples are not healthier in every respect, as has previously been assumed,” said Jutta Mata, lead author of the study and an assistant professor of health psychology at the University of Basel, in a statement.
In the study, the average BMI for single men was 25.7; the BMI for married men was 26.3. For single women, their BMI was 25.1; the BMI for married women is 25.6.
But while couples have a higher BMI index, research shows that couples stayed away from processed and fast foods. Married men are more likely to buy organic food, and they’re less likely to play sports.
“That indicates that particularly men in long-term relationships are more likely to eat more consciously, and, in turn, probably more healthily,” Mata said, according to Medical Daily.
