Women in strained marriages are more likely than other wives to have high blood pressure and other risk factors for heart disease. Researchers from America studied more than 300 middle-aged and older couples who had been married more than 20 years. Each couple answered questionnaires about their relationship and mental state and took lab tests. It was found that women in marriages with high levels of strife were more prone to depression and metabolic syndrome, a cluster of symptoms such a thick waist, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and abnormal blood sugar that significantly raise the risk of heart disease. The researchers found that that negative aspects of the marriage - a high level of conflict and discord - were associated with increased levels of metabolic syndrome for women but not for men. This could be explained by the fact that women in strained marriages also reported more depression, a known risk factor for heart disease. A bad marriage was roughly equivalent to leading a sedentary life in terms of raising the risk of metabolic syndrome. The findings represent one of many factors a woman should address to reduce her risk of heart disease. But women should tackle other potentially more serious issues first.
Meeting of American Psychosomatic Society
March 2009