Strained marriages 'harm women'

[JODO 2]

Strained marriages 'harm women'

Women are more likely than men to suffer damage to their health from being in a strained marriage, research suggests.

US psychologists found wives in tense marriages were prone to risk factors for heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

In comparison, husbands seemed relatively immune from such problems. bastards

Details of the study, based on 276 couples who had been married for an average of 20 years were presented to the American Psychosomatic Society.

Each couple filled out questionnaires designed to assess the good and bad aspects of married life.

They were also rated for how depressed they appeared to be, based on their self-reported symptoms.

Doctors then carried out a battery of tests to assess whether or not the volunteers were showing signs of metabolic syndrome - a collection of symptoms pointing to a raised risk of serious disease, such as heart problems.

Women in strained marriages were more likely to be depressed and to have a greater number of symptoms of metabolic syndrome.

But although husbands in unhappy marriages were also depressed, they did not show signs of physiological damage to their health.

Researcher Nancy Henry, from the University of Utah, said the team had expected to find that negative aspects of a bad marriage, such as arguing and being angry, would translate into both mental and physical problems for both sexes.

Much more to learn

She said: "We found this was true for wives in this study, but not for husbands.

"The gender difference is important because heart disease is the number-one killer of women as well as men, and we are still learning a lot about how relationship factors and emotional distress are related to heart disease."

Professor Tim Smith, who co-led the research, said there was good evidence that a healthy diet and regular exercise could reduce a woman's risk of metabolic syndrome.

However, he said: "It's a little premature to say they would lower their risk of heart disease if they improved the tone and quality of their marriages - or dumped their husbands.

"The immediate implication is that if you are interested in your cardiovascular risk - and we all should be because it is the leading killer for both genders - we should be concerned about not just traditional risk factors such as blood pressure and cholesterol but the quality of our emotional and family lives."

Christine Northam, a counsellor for the charity Relate, said there was plenty of evidence that people in a stable, happy relationship enjoyed both good health and a longer life expectancy.

She said: "The gender difference could be partly due to the fact that women's hormonal profile is more complex than men's. "Women also tend to worry more about their health than men."

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7925360.stm

Published: 2009/03/05 10:25:46 GMT

[NickD 203]

How come women outlive men? And if that marriage leads to a divorce, can definitely tell you which sex gets the strain. Hint, it's not the woman.

[Nagishkaw 510]

According to the Godfather, this is a man's world.

[Jenn! 918]

In comparison, husbands seemed relatively immune from such problems. bastards

[NickD 203]

According to the Godfather, this is a man's world.

LOL, that is why we don't have those Godfathers, anymore. But think these guys became attorneys, judges, congressman, and governors.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

How come women outlive men? And if that marriage leads to a divorce, can definitely tell you which sex gets the strain. Hint, it's not the woman.

Hint, you are generalizing

[_Simpson_ 250]

How come women outlive men? And if that marriage leads to a divorce, can definitely tell you which sex gets the strain. Hint, it's not the woman.

Because they have to put up with the woman, woman are taxing on the soul

[~*Maria*~ 1]

men are 10 times worse. for example... when they catch a cold, they think they're dying but when us women get sick well its a whole different situation!

[_Simpson_ 250]

Maria, Scottish men are different than us American men. There more like woman than men, hence the kilt. So it would makes sense than he complains about the common cold more than you.

Edited March 5, 2009 by looking_up

[~*Maria*~ 1]

Maria, Scottish men are different than us American men. There more like woman than men, hence the kilt. So it would makes sense than he complains about the common cold more than you.

Well considering i'm the scot and he's american, he caught a wee cold back in dec 06 and he actually thought he had the plague. Stayed in bed for 4 days saying he was dying. nuff said

[_Simpson_ 250]

Maria, Scottish men are different than us American men. There more like woman than men, hence the kilt. So it would makes sense than he complains about the common cold more than you.

Well considering i'm the scot and he's american, he caught a wee cold back in dec 06 and he actually thought he had the plague. Stayed in bed for 4 days saying he was dying. nuff said

dam well that blows my theory apart.

Well this leads me to only one other conclusion, I was hoping it wouldn't come to this but your husband must be gay and the marriage is a cover up so that his family wont find out.

[NickD 203]

Guess I was thinking more about my first than second wife with that comment.

My new wife, have to get it right the second time, never saw First Blood, Rambo, so we watched it last night, had to admit I am not that tough to her, use super glue for those deep cuts rather than a needle and a thread. Besides, it heals nicer leaving less of a scar. And don't feel I could handle two hundred guys, well, maybe if they were actors and paid to fall down.

Never knew that First Blood had an alternate ending, where he forces Trautman to shoot him, smack in his heart, dead. But they apparently changed that to make Rambo 2, 3, and 4.

[~*Maria*~ 1]

Maria, Scottish men are different than us American men. There more like woman than men, hence the kilt. So it would makes sense than he complains about the common cold more than you.

Well considering i'm the scot and he's american, he caught a wee cold back in dec 06 and he actually thought he had the plague. Stayed in bed for 4 days saying he was dying. nuff said

dam well that blows my theory apart.

Well this leads me to only one other conclusion, I was hoping it wouldn't come to this but your husband must be gay and the marriage is a cover up so that his family wont find out.

Was kinda wondering the same thing myself

[Jasman0717 9]

How come women outlive men?

Good question

[Brad and Vika 129]

How come women outlive men?

Good question

I read somewhere that the gap was shrinking, and it was directly related to women seeking (and landing) the same sorts of jobs that kill men regularly