Married people are twice as likely to become obese than their single counterparts, scientists claim.
Greek researchers found that married couples were more likely to become fat due to their significantly changed lifestyle as they “let themselves go”.
Married men are three times as likely to suffer obesity while married women are twice as likely to have weight problems, it found.
The research, based on the study of more than 17,000 couples aged between 20 and 70, found that married couples exercised less frequently, had less sex, had poor nutrition and were “comfortable” in their lives.
Married couples spend more time eating together, sit in front of the TV more and often order takeaway ready meals while exercising less.
Scientists from Salonica and Ioannina Universities, who presented their research on Friday to the Panhellenic Medical Conference, in Athens, concluded that “abdominal obesity, or belly fat” was the worst problem among married people.
Prof Dimitris Kiortsis, one of the study‘s co-authors, said that obesity was found to be directly related to a change in lifestyle.
Prof Kiortsis, from Ioannina University who is also president of the Hellenic Medical Association for Obesity, said most married couples also have less sex, which is considered intense exercise that burns calories.
He said that unmarried individuals originally spend a lot of time keeping fit and making themselves attractive in order to find a partner “but once they get married they let themselves go”.
“The need to hunt for a partner is reduced,” he said.
“Stress and anxiety is reduced in a good marriage, there is less smoking, and therefore one‘s appetite increases.”
The study advised married couples to take up more exercise, to have only one home-cooked meal a day, to avoid snacks, and to follow a Mediterranean diet which includes a lot of fruit, vegetables and olive oil.
翻译：
科研人员日前称，已婚人士发胖的几率为单身人士的两倍。
希腊研究人员日前发现，已婚人士对自己“放任自流”，生活方式发生显著变化，因此容易发胖。
调查发现，已婚男士肥胖的几率为单身男士的三倍，而已婚女士肥胖的几率为单身女士的两倍。
该研究基于一项对17000对年龄在20岁到70岁之间的夫妇进行的调查。研究发现，人们在结婚后锻炼次数减少，性生活减少，营养不良，生活处于一种“安逸”状态。
已婚夫妇一起吃饭、坐着看电视的时间增多，他们经常叫外卖，同时锻炼次数减少。
来自希腊萨洛尼卡和约阿尼纳大学的科研人员于上周五在雅典召开的泛希腊医学大会上展示了他们的研究成果。研究人员得出结论：“啤酒肚”是已婚人群中存在的最严重的问题。
研究报告的撰写人之一迪米特瑞斯·奇奥尔特西斯教授说，肥胖与生活方式的改变直接相关。
希腊肥胖医学会主席、来自约阿尼纳大学的奇奥尔特西斯教授说，大多数已婚夫妇性生活减少，而性生活被认为是一种可燃烧热量的高强度运动。
他说，人们在单身时为了寻找伴侣会花很多时间来保健和增强自身吸引力，“可一旦结了婚，他们就放任自流了”。
他说：“这是因为他们没有找对象的压力了。”
“美满的婚姻会减少人的压力和焦虑感，同时吸烟量的减少会增强人的食欲。”
研究建议已婚夫妇多进行体育锻炼，每天只吃一顿家常大餐，少吃点心，并遵循地中海食谱——多吃水果、蔬菜，食用橄榄油。
