Marriage significantly increases the risk of obesity for men, but has little impact on women, reveals new research.

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What did researchers find?

Scientists at the National Institute of Cardiology in Warsaw, Poland, analysed health data from 2,405 individuals and found that while both sexes tend to pile on the pounds after marriage, men were 3.2 times more likely to be obese than their wives.

The study, which was presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Spain, found that marriage raised the likelihood of being overweight by 62 per cent in men and 39 per cent in women.

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It found that, beyond marital status, age is also a factor in weight gain. The research found that every year, the risk of being overweight increases by 3 per cent in men and 4 per cent in women. Similarly, the risk of obesity rises by 4 per cent in men and 6 per cent in women.

While marriage may not make women fatter, the research found that for women, other factors carry higher obesity risk. The study found that depression doubled the likelihood of obesity in women, while inadequate health literacy increased it by a whopping 43 per cent. 

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"The research also suggests that men may be more likely to gain weight after marriage due to factors like increased portion sizes, social eating, and a decline in physical activity, whereas women perhaps remain more conscious of body weight due to societal pressures," said Katharine Jenner, the director of the Obesity Health Alliance, as quoted by The Guardian.

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Previous research on the topic

Marriage makes people fatter is not news. The new findings actually align with previous research, including a 2024 study from China that revealed male BMI tends to rise in the first five years of marriage due to increased calorie intake and reduced physical activity. 

The Chinese study linked marriage to a 5.2 per cent rise in men getting overweight and a 2.5 per cent increase in them getting obese. Similarly, a University of Bath study found that married men, on average, weighed 1.4 kg more than single men.

(With inputs from agencies)