PABad news for all you loved up couples out there, it seems being in a relationship makes you put on weight.
According to scientists at the Central Queensland University in Australia, people in relationships, on average, weigh more than single people.
They theorise this is because when you’re loved up, you don’t need to impress anyone and basically people don’t worry about their weight as much.
PA ImagesThe studies lead scientist, Stephanie Schoeppe, told NewScientist:
When couples don’t need to look attractive and slim to attract a partner, they may feel more comfortable in eating more or eating more foods high in fat and sugar.
When couples have children in the household, they tend to eat the children’s leftovers or snacks.
Interestingly though, people in relationships don’t tend to eat any more unhealthily than single folks.
PAThe study, which assessed 10 years of data from 15,000 participants, found couples consumed more fruit and vegetables and tended to steer clear of fast food, alcohol and cigarettes.
Their analysis of the data also showed couples and singletons, on average, completed the same amount of exercise and sedentary behaviour.
So why do couples weigh more?
PA ImagesWell, Dr Jerica Berge, from the University of Minnesota, believes date nights and romantic dinners out are responsible.
She said the social behaviour in marriage commonly revolves around eating occasions.
Unfortunately, for all the single people out their, people in loving relationships do apparently benefit from being together.
Army.milResearch has found people who were married were 10-15 per cent less likely to die prematurely than the population as a whole – possibly because if you’re in a long-term relationship, you’ve got someone else looking out for your health?
Couples also tend to be wealthier than singletons. Research by Jay Zagorsky, at Ohio State University, suggests married couples have roughly double the wealth of those who never marry, or four times the wealth if you consider their combined household income.
On average, married people also tend to be happier, less lonely and have better sex than singletons.
Fortunately, singles do have one advantage over happy couples, they’re less likely to become depressed in middle age, the period when married people are most likely to question where their lives are going.
More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.