Marriage, Men, and Metabolism: Why Tying the Knot Expands the Waistline

Thursday, March 13, 2025.

Somewhere in the dim corridors of evolutionary psychology, a grand bargain was struck: men would hunt, women would gather, and marriage would make sure both parties stayed well-fed.

Fast-forward to modern Poland, and the evidence suggests the deal might have gotten out of hand. According to a recent study, married men are over three times as likely to be obese as their unmarried counterparts (Cicha-Mikolajczyk et al., 2024).

This, of course, begs the question: Does matrimony come with an invisible side of weight gain, or are we merely witnessing the gravitational pull of domesticity?

Marriage as a Metabolic Hazard

The Polish study, which surveyed 2,405 people with an average age of 50, found a striking statistical bulge: married men were 3.2 times more likely to be obese than their single peers.

Women, on the other hand, were merely more likely to gain weight when married, but without the same runaway obesity risk.

The authors suggest that social stigma keeps women from reaching critical mass: while a few extra pounds might be acceptable, outright obesity is still culturally penalized (Cicha-Mikolajczyk et al., 2024).

This aligns with the broader literature.

In a sweeping meta-analysis, Jeffery and Rick (2002) found that marriage tends to increase body mass in both men and women but that men are particularly vulnerable to large weight gains.

The reasons for this? Social expectation, metabolic shifts, and—brace yourself—comfort eating.

Aging, Marriage, and the Expanding Beltline

It turns out that marriage and age are locked in a treacherous alliance.

The Polish study found that the risk of being overweight climbed by 3% per year for men and 4% for women, while the risk of obesity rose by 4% and 6%, respectively. This suggests that even without the nuptial factor, simply surviving into middle age is a hazardous endeavor for the waistline.

Supporting this, a British study predicted that by 2050, a full 77% of adults in the UK will be overweight or obese (Foreman et al., 2023).

If these numbers hold, future historians will look back on early 21st-century humans and wonder if our defining characteristic was not intelligence, but an exceptional fondness for carbohydrates.

Why Married Men Pack on the Pounds

Why does marriage appear to be particularly hazardous for men? The leading theories include:

• The "Dad Bod" Phenomenon: With no need to attract a mate, married men may abandon the Herculean efforts required to maintain their pre-marital physiques (Tzotzos et al., 2019).

• Domestic Dining: Married men eat more home-cooked meals, which sounds healthy until you realize that "home-cooked" often means "large portions of rich food served with love" (Agras et al., 2004).

• Social Differences in Weight Management: Women remain under relentless pressure to stay slim, while men are socially permitted—even encouraged—to adopt the stocky build of a "provider" (Puhl & Heuer, 2009).

Obesity, Depression, and the Weight of Loneliness

The Polish study also unearthed a grim footnote: depression and obesity appear to be deeply entangled, especially for women.

Among the 15% of participants who reported feeling depressed, women were twice as likely to be obese.

Men, interestingly, did not show the same pattern. This fits with previous research showing that men often express depression through externalizing behaviors (e.g., substance abuse, aggression), whereas women are more likely to internalize distress, sometimes through emotional eating (Simon et al., 2020).

An Unstoppable Trend?

The crisis is not limited to Poland.

The Lancet study found that by 2050, a staggering 80% of UK men and 74% of women will be overweight or obese, making the country a heavyweight contender among high-income nations, alongside the U.S. and Germany (Foreman et al., 2023).

Wes Streeting, the UK Health Secretary, noted that obesity now costs the NHS £11 billion annually, which raises the uncomfortable question: At what point does a public health issue become an economic catastrophe?

Can We Stop the Spread?

Reversing this trend requires more than individual willpower—it demands systemic change. Public health campaigns, increased education, and a rethinking of how we design our food environments could help (Roberto et al., 2015). Moreover, married men may need to reframe their "dad bods" as a temporary metabolic state rather than a lifelong inevitability.

Conclusion: Love, Food, and the Future of the Waistline

Marriage remains a profound social institution, but it may come with hidden metabolic consequences—at least for men.

While love and companionship have undeniable health benefits, they also seem to invite larger portions, fewer gym sessions, and a relaxed attitude toward body mass.

If current trends continue, the real question isn't why married men gain weight but how society will cope with the fact that, in a few decades, the majority of adults in high-income countries may struggle to maintain a healthy weight.

For now, the safest path forward might be the one less traveled—the one that passes by the gym on the way home from date night.

Be Well, Stay Kind, and Godspeed.

REFERENCES:

Agras, W. S., Hammer, L. D., McNicholas, F., & Kraemer, H. C. (2004). Risk factors for childhood overweight: A prospective study from birth to 9.5 years. The Journal of Pediatrics, 145(1), 20-25.

Cicha-Mikolajczyk, A., et al. (2024). Marital status and obesity: A population-based study in Poland. European Congress on Obesity.

Foreman, K. J., Marquez, N., Dolgert, A., Fukutaki, K., Fullman, N., McGaughey, M., ... & Murray, C. J. L. (2023). The future of obesity: Trends and projections. The Lancet.

Jeffery, R. W., & Rick, A. M. (2002). Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between body mass index and marriage-related factors. Obesity Research, 10(8), 809-815.

Puhl, R. M., & Heuer, C. A. (2009). The stigma of obesity: A review and update. Obesity, 17(5), 941-964.

Roberto, C. A., Swinburn, B., Hawkes, C., Huang, T. T., Costa, S. A., Ashe, M., ... & Brownell, K. D. (2015). Patchy progress on obesity prevention: Emerging examples, entrenched barriers, and new thinking. The Lancet, 385(9985), 2400-2409.

Simon, G. E., Ludman, E. J., & Linde, J. A. (2020). Obesity, depression, and health services use among middle-aged women. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 35(6), 1745-1753.

Tzotzos, S. J., Hatzigeorgiadis, A., & Papaioannou, A. (2019). The dad bod effect: How self-perception changes post-marriage. Psychology of Men & Masculinities, 20(2), 198-207.