Using data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), researchers from the University of Toronto found that married men, or men who became married during the three-year study period, were twice as likely to age optimally compared to men who had never married.
Among women, those who had never married were twice as likely to age optimally compared to married respondents who became widowed or divorced during the study period. Married women did not differ significantly from never-married women with respect to optimal aging.
The study was published online in August 2024 in the journal International Social Work.
“Little is known about the relationship between marital trajectories in old age and successful aging. Our goal was to see whether different marital trajectories were associated with physical health and well-being, and whether these relationships varied for men and women,” says first author Mabel Ho, a 2023 doctoral graduate at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work and the Institute of Life Course and Aging.
The researchers defined optimal aging as freedom from any serious physical, cognitive, mental, or emotional conditions that prevent daily activities, as well as high levels of self-reported happiness, good physical health, and mental health. The study sample included 7,641 CLSA participants aged 60 years or older at the first follow-up and in excellent health during the baseline wave of data collection.
“Previous studies have shown that marriage is associated with better health outcomes for both men and women, while men who were never married generally had the poorest health outcomes,” says David Burnes, Professor and Canada Research Chair at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work. “It may be that married people encourage each other to adopt or maintain positive health behaviors such as quitting smoking or exercising regularly.”
Older adults who were not socially isolated were more likely to maintain optimal health in old age. Those who had regular contact with relatives, friends and neighbors were more likely to age optimally compared to older adults who were socially isolated.
The study also found that lifestyle factors such as maintaining a healthy body weight, being physically active, not having insomnia and not smoking were important in maintaining optimal health in later life.
“Our study underlines the importance of understanding sex-specific differences in aging so that we can better support older men and women to continue to thrive in later life,” concluded Ho. “Our findings can inform the development of programs and services to engage and support older adults, particularly those who were never married or experienced widowhood, separation, and divorce in later life.”
This article was first published on EurekAlert! by the University of Toronto. Read the original story here.
