Healthier life thanks to the partner

Together, unhealthy behaviors can be overcome more easily

01/21/2015

Unhealthy habits such as smoking can be made much easier if the partner or partner is involved. This is the finding of a recent study by researchers from University College London, which featured in the journal „JAMA Internal Medicine“ has been published.

Often couples have very consistent unhealthy behaviors, and changing one's health behavior is often associated with a change in the other partner's behavior, the British researchers write. So far, however, there was a lack of studies that clearly demonstrate this effect. Now, the researchers at University College London in their study examined the influence of partner behavior on positive health behavioral changes in more than 3,700 couples.

Healthy behavioral change of the partner has a supporting effect
In their study, the scientists evaluated the data of 3,722 married and unmarried couples over the age of 50 years. In doing so, they identified three categories of unhealthy behaviors - smoking, athletic inactivity and overweight / obese - and examined the influence of partners' behaviors in the same category on positive health behavioral changes. Positive behavioral changes included measures for smoking cessation, increased physical activity and weight loss of five percent or more. „In all areas, we have found that if one of the partners decides to behave healthier (new healthy), it is more likely to have a positive change in the health behavior of the other partner“, Report to Professor Jane Wardle, and her colleagues from University College London in the journal „JAMA Internal Medicine“.

Behavior change with stronger effect than consistently healthy lifestyle
The British researchers were also able to show that the change in behavior or the placement of unhealthy behaviors on the habits of each partner had a clearer effect than a consistently healthy lifestyle. Accordingly, the prospects for a positive health behavior change are particularly good if the partner has maintained the same vice and has already stopped. For example, 48 percent of men and 50 percent of women were successful in stopping smoking if their partner did so too. If the partners continued smoking, only 8 percent of men and women achieved abstinence.

Positive effects of the partnership on the health behavior
In physical activity, 67 percent of men and 66 percent of women achieve success when their partners are involved, whereas only about a quarter of subjects are otherwise ready for increased physical activity. The reduction of excess body weight was much easier for most study participants, if the partner has also changed his behavior. Total are „Men and women are more likely to make a positive change in their health behavior if the partner does“, write the British researchers. This aspect should be given more consideration in the future in the prevention of diseases, if necessary. Because unhealthy habits are considered a risk factor for many non-communicable diseases and a conversion with the help of the partner can possibly save lives here. However, it would also be interesting to ask whether people in the partnership tend to be more likely to travel to unhealthy things if their partner also does so. (Fp)