Study Shows Weight Gain Accompanies Marriage

Study Shows Weight Gain Accompanies Marriage


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Whit Johnson ReportingYou've probably heard people say that when you get married you should be prepared to put on a few pounds. Well, a group of researchers in North Carolina found newly-wed weight holds a little more truth than myth, especially in young people.

A few local trainers say they see the issue more here in Utah than in other states. More young people here are getting married. Some of them are stay-at-home moms, and the responsibilities can be tough to balance with some much needed exercise.

Research now proves the closer we get to diamond rings and wedding vows, the quicker we step out of an active, healthy lifestyle.

Dave Shepard is a married college student at the University of Utah. He says, "I've had a few times where I've put on a couple pounds."

He and his wife Susan have been married a year and a half, and lucky for them, they didn't get too far off track before they realized they should probably change a few things.

Susan says, "Now we're here, we're back, we're trying to do it. You just have to set up a routine and it gets easier."

Dave says, "It might not be that we eat more. I think it's because we're on such a budget, we don't eat as well."

Dave and Susan are not alone.

Theodore Washington, a personal trainer, said, "You eat, you sit in that couch, you may watch TV or read a little book. The next thing you know it's time to go to bed. And you repeat that process day in and day out. So you're not getting any exercise."

Researchers at the University of North Carolina followed almost 8,000 teens and young adults for five years. On average, all of them gained weight, but those who were married put on six to nine pounds more.

The lead researcher says, "It could be now you have more obligations with your partner that prevent you from exercising."

The research is not surprising for Dave and Susan, but they say they're getting a grip on the situation. "We have each other to hang on to and work with. It's great. I love working out with my husband," Susan said.

Staying single is not your only option. Researchers say couples have the power of two, and like Dave and Susan you can motivate each other to be healthy.

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