In a new study published in the medical journal Annals of Behavorial Medicine *, we learn that divorce can lead to a decline in physical activity and a greater likelihood of smoking.

Medical data from 5,786 study participants aged 50 years and older were reviewed by scientists at the University of Arizona in the United States. Of these, 926 divorced, or separated without remarrying.

Several points were analyzed: personal satisfaction, frequency of physical activity, smoking, measurements of lung function and levels of inflammation.

Risk of premature death

At the end of these tests, the researchers noticed that separated or even divorced people had a 46% risk of dying younger than people living in a relationship. Divorced women , in particular, say they are less satisfied in their lives, compared to married participants. Since their level of physical activity is also lower than that of couples, the risk of premature death is higher.

Separated persons are also more likely to start smoking, on average two years after the end of their relationship.

Being in a couple encourages self-care

"These divorced individuals no longer have spouses worried about their health behaviors.If a husband or wife does not smoke and their partner is a smoker, one may try to influence the behavior of the other. when a relationship ends, we lose this important social control of our health behaviors, "says Kyle Bourassa, author of the study and psychologist.

In their study, researchers do not clearly establish a link between divorce, sedentary lifestyle and smoking. However, it can be observed that couples are more stimulated and encouraged to keep their bodies healthy.

Every year in France, more than 120,000 couples divorce, according to INSEE. Over the last decade, the number of divorces among people over 50 has doubled.

* academic.oup.com/abm/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/abm/kay038/5001545?redirectedFrom=fulltext