researchers were surprised to discover that this measure was as predictive a factor of life expectancy as smoking or a lack of physical activity. the number of men who died from a stroke was 69 per cent higher among men who felt their marriage was very unsuccessful compared to those who felt the exact opposite.
in terms of deaths from any cause, happily married men enjoyed a 19 per cent advantage, suffering 248.5 deaths compared to 295.3 among gloomy grooms. interestingly, the gap between the two groups was larger at younger ages closer to the beginning of the study.
a statistical analysis including all known risk factors that can lead to death from cardiovascular diseases — such as diabetes, hypertension and socioeconomic status — found the relative risk of death for any reason was 1.21 higher for those in unhappy unions compared to those wrapped in the warmth of wedded bliss.
“it’s important to note that we observed a higher risk among relatively young men, under the age of 50,” lev-ari said. “at a higher age, the gap is smaller, perhaps due to processes of adjustment that life partners go through over time. these findings were consistent with other studies that have shown the effectiveness of educational programs fostering good life partnerships as part of a national strategy to promote health and wellness for the public at large.”
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