Both of these phenomena are largely confirmed by a new study looking weight fluctuations in men, and the life events that seem to affect a man’s body mass index (BMI) over the years. It turned out that married men did weigh an average of three pounds more than single men—not a huge difference, but a statistically significant one. For married men, there was no increase in weight when their wives got pregnant, but there was a slight increase in the early years after their child was born. Social obligation theory posits that people may gain weight because of social obligations associated with marriage, like parties and dinners with friends. Other theories, like marriage protection theory, which suggests that people would stay trimmer while married because of the increased social support that marriage brings, are not supported.

Source: Forbes June 21, 2017 18:45 UTC