Would you be happier if you were thinner than your spouse? I recently read in “Health News” that a new study from the University of Tennessee found that women who had a lower body mass index (BMI) than their husband in the first few years of marriage were much more satisfied.
What they discovered is that it really had less to do with how skinny the wife was and more to do with her BMI. They apparently followed 169 couples, from the beginning of their marriages through the next four years.
Men were also more satisfied when they had lower BMI’s, however what they found is that as the years progressed, their level of satisfaction stayed the same. But women had a deeper level of contentment and happiness when they were able to keep their BMI below their husband’s.
The study also factored in mental health issues and salaries; however these additional components didn’t seem to affect the results of the study. It came down to a healthy weight.
Let’s face it…anyone would be happier, content and more satisfied with a healthy weight. Our weight affects us psychologically just as much as it does physically. You feel better about yourself, not just because you “look good” but because you feel good.
I don’t think weight should be a competition with our spouses. But I do think that couples could be encouragers to one another. If one spouse really does want to lose weight, there would be huge benefits in the other spouse joining in.
One of the things I really like to do with my husband is take walks late at night. We enjoy walking together and it gives us a chance to talk. But it is also a way to encourage each other in living a healthier lifestyle.
What do you think about the findings of this study? Does your weight affect your happiness?
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Photo by roland in Flickr