Lonely Marriages Linked To Higher Body Weight, Altered Brain And Gut Function

UCLA researchers found married people lacking emotional support from their partners had BMIs roughly five points higher than those feeling understood and comforted by their spouse. Brain scans revealed married individuals with high emotional support showed stronger responses in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a region tied to self-control when viewing food images. Those without support didn’t display this pattern. Gut analysis showed less-supported participants had reduced anti-inflammatory compounds and elevated toxins linked to inflammation. Married participants generally showed higher oxytocin levels than unmarried ones. Researchers suggest supportive marriages may function as practice for self-control, strengthening neural circuits that regulate eating behavior, while emotionally distant marriages fail to provide these health benefits. (Story URL)