Research conducted at England's Newcastle University has found that women eat more unhealthy foods and tend to put on weight when they move in with a male partner. But for males, cohabitation produces the opposite result, creating a healthier man from an improved diet. The researchers say that the change in dietary habits happens because both partners try to please each other during the "honeymoon period" when they first commence living together.
Unsurprisingly, women are more likely to put on weight and increase their consumption of foods high in fat and sugar when they shack up with a man. But conversely, men report a reduction in the consumption of "bad foods" when they begin to cohabit, reducing fat and sugar and increasing their consumption of vegetables. The report, published in Complete Nutrition, speculated that women's weight gain could also be attributed to changes in exercise routines, notably, having less time to exercise.
The ritual of the evening meal could be a key reason for the change in dietary habits, the researchers explained. Adding that many cohabiting couples report food as being central to their partnership, and eating together in the evening was an important event.
Report author, Dr Amelia Lake, said that a woman's partner was a strong influence on lifestyle, and women who are trying to live healthier lives should take this factor into consideration. "You can't just blame an unhealthy lifestyle or diet on your partner, as there are many other things that affect what you eat and do. Couples who move into together should use the opportunity of the honeymoon period to make positive changes to their diet and lifestyle by working together and supporting each other," she concluded.
Source: University of Newcastle upon Tyne
