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When one spouse becomes obese, the other’s risk of
obesity almost doubles, a U.S. study suggests.
Researchers aimed to evaluate whether an
individual's risk of obesity is associated with
spousal risk of obesity and whether an individual's
change in body mass index is associated with spousal
BMI change.
Scientists analyzed data from 3,889 spouse pairs in
the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study cohort
who were sampled at ages 45–65 years from 1986 to
1989 and followed for up to 25 years.
Researchers estimated hazard ratios for incident
obesity by whether spouses remained nonobese, became
obese, remained obese, or became nonobese and
estimated the association of participants' BMI
changes with concurrent spousal BMI changes using
linear mixed models.
Analyses were stratified by sex.
At baseline, 22.6% of men and 24.7% of women were
obese.
With each 1-unit increase in spousal BMI change,
women's BMI change increased by 0.15 and men's BMI
change increased by 0.10.
Having a wives become obese was linked to an 78
percent increased risk of developing obesity for
their husbands.
Having a husband become obese was linked to an 89
percent increased risk of developing obesity for
their wives.
Not many people who started out obese lost enough
weight to be considered no longer obese, but when
they did, their spouse was also more likely to
become non-obese.
Having a spouse become obese nearly doubles one's
risk of becoming obese.
See also
There are more obese Americans than overweight
Americans (2015-09-03)
link...
For more information
Changes in Body Mass Index and Obesity Risk in
Married Couples Over 25 Years
The ARIC Cohort Study
link...
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