Impact of Marriage [& Divorce] and Parenthood on BMI

[Michael Scally MD]

The Impact of Marriage [& Divorce] and Parenthood on Male Body Mass Index

Highlights
· Using Panel Study of Income Dynamics data, dynamic panel data estimation is employed.
· Married men have higher Body Mass Index (BMI) than their non-married counterparts.
· MALE BMI INCREASES AFTER MARRIAGE AND DECREASES JUST BEFORE AND AFTER DIVORCE.
· Spousal BMI is significantly and contemporaneously correlated during marriage.
· This evidence supports marriage market and social obligation theories.

RATIONALE: Numerous cross-sectional studies investigated the link between marital status and BMI in the context of competing social science theories (marriage market, marriage selection, marriage protection and social obligation), frequently offering conflicting theoretical predictions and conflicting empirical findings.

OBJECTIVE: This study analysed the effects of marriage, divorce, pregnancy, and parenthood on male BMI in a longitudinal setting, avoiding the estimation bias of cross-sectional studies and allowing for an analysis of BMI fluctuation over time and the dynamic effects of these events.

METHOD: Using the Panel Study of Income Dynamics 1999-2013 dataset (N = 8729), this study was the first to employ a dynamic panel-data estimation to examine the static and dynamic effects of marriage, divorce, and fatherhood on male BMI.

RESULTS: The study showed that married men have higher BMI, but marital status changes largely drove this static effect, namely, an increase in BMI in the period following marriage, and a decrease in BMI preceding and following divorce.

CONCLUSIONS: Thus, this study found marked evidence in support of the marriage market and social obligation theories' predictions about male BMI, and supports neither marriage protection theory nor marriage selection theory. Wives' pregnancies had no significant effect on BMI; instead, men tend to have higher BMI in the periods following childbirth. Finally, analyses showed marked contemporaneous correlations between husband and wife BMI over the course of marriage.

Syrda J. The impact of marriage and parenthood on male body mass index: Static and dynamic effects. Soc Sci Med. The impact of marriage and parenthood on male body mass index: Static and dynamic effects

 

[legendary]

Isn't bmi misleading tho? I'm at 32% and that means I'm obease. I'm pretty sure obease people can't see their abs. I can see mine.

 

[Oregongearhead]

Isn't bmi misleading tho? I'm at 32% and that means I'm obease. I'm pretty sure obease people can't see their abs. I can see mine.

Thats because your fat is under your abs , just like mine (Metabolic syndrome). I can be 40lbs overweight and still split my abs ...

 

[BBC3]

So What I would like to know, is how does this all pertain to SEXUALITY. Homosexuality to be precise. In either the male or female....!?!

The Impact of Marriage [& Divorce] and Parenthood on Male Body Mass Index

Highlights
· Using Panel Study of Income Dynamics data, dynamic panel data estimation is employed.
· Married men have higher Body Mass Index (BMI) than their non-married counterparts.
· MALE BMI INCREASES AFTER MARRIAGE AND DECREASES JUST BEFORE AND AFTER DIVORCE.
· Spousal BMI is significantly and contemporaneously correlated during marriage.
· This evidence supports marriage market and social obligation theories.

RATIONALE: Numerous cross-sectional studies investigated the link between marital status and BMI in the context of competing social science theories (marriage market, marriage selection, marriage protection and social obligation), frequently offering conflicting theoretical predictions and conflicting empirical findings.

OBJECTIVE: This study analysed the effects of marriage, divorce, pregnancy, and parenthood on male BMI in a longitudinal setting, avoiding the estimation bias of cross-sectional studies and allowing for an analysis of BMI fluctuation over time and the dynamic effects of these events.

METHOD: Using the Panel Study of Income Dynamics 1999-2013 dataset (N = 8729), this study was the first to employ a dynamic panel-data estimation to examine the static and dynamic effects of marriage, divorce, and fatherhood on male BMI.

RESULTS: The study showed that married men have higher BMI, but marital status changes largely drove this static effect, namely, an increase in BMI in the period following marriage, and a decrease in BMI preceding and following divorce.

CONCLUSIONS: Thus, this study found marked evidence in support of the marriage market and social obligation theories' predictions about male BMI, and supports neither marriage protection theory nor marriage selection theory. Wives' pregnancies had no significant effect on BMI; instead, men tend to have higher BMI in the periods following childbirth. Finally, analyses showed marked contemporaneous correlations between husband and wife BMI over the course of marriage.

Syrda J. The impact of marriage and parenthood on male body mass index: Static and dynamic effects. Soc Sci Med. The impact of marriage and parenthood on male body mass index: Static and dynamic effects

 

[Redrum42]

I'm always disappointed when they can never be more specific than BMI. I'm sure the implication/assumption is that it's fat. But maybe these dudes are just getting fucking shredded during marriage, and then get depressed and lose muscle when divorced (women initiate the majority of the time, after all)