Breakthrough research reveals the impact of marriage on aging

A new study involving over 7,000 Canadians, aged 60 and older, reveals intriguing patterns about marriage and aging. Conducted over approximately three years, this research shows that marital status influences how well individuals age, with notable differences between men and women.

Among men, those who were married or got married during the study were twice as likely to age optimally compared to their peers who never married. However, the opposite was true for women. Women who had never married were found to be twice as likely to age well compared to their counterparts who had experienced widowhood or divorce during the study period. Interestingly, there was no significant difference in aging between married and never-married women.

According to Mabel Ho, the study's first author and recent doctoral graduate from the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work and the Institute of Life Course and Aging, the research aimed to explore how different marital experiences impact health and well-being. "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," she explains.

The researchers defined "optimal aging" as freedom from serious physical, cognitive, or mental conditions that might prevent daily activities, paired with high levels of self-reported happiness, physical health, and mental well-being. Only the 40% of participants who were deemed to be successfully aging at the start of the study were included in the sample.

David Burnes, Professor and Canada Research Chair at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, highlights how marriage can influence health outcomes. "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," Burnes explains.

He suggests that married people may encourage one another to adopt or maintain healthy behaviors, such as quitting smoking or exercising regularly, which could play a role in their improved health as they age.

Social connections also emerged as a crucial factor in aging successfully. Participants who maintained regular contact with relatives, friends, and neighbors were more likely to experience optimal health in later life compared to those who were socially isolated.

Eleanor Pullenayegum, a Senior Scientist at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and professor at the University of Toronto, stresses the importance of these social interactions: "Being socially connected with others is important, especially in later life. Having regular contact with relatives, friends, and neighbors can help older adults feel connected, reduce their sense of loneliness, and improve their overall well-being."

The study further identified lifestyle factors that contribute to successful aging. Maintaining a healthy body weight, staying physically active, avoiding insomnia, and refraining from smoking were all associated with better health outcomes. Notably, those who had quit smoking were much more likely to be aging optimally than those who continued to smoke.

Senior author Esme Fuller-Thomson, Director of the Institute for Life Course & Aging and Professor at the University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, emphasizes the value of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, regardless of age. "It is so important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, no matter how old we are.

For example, it is never too late to quit smoking," Fuller-Thomson points out. The study found that even former smokers had a significantly better chance of aging well compared to those who still smoked.

The research shines a light on the different ways men and women experience aging, depending on their marital histories. For men, being married or getting married later in life appears to have a positive effect on aging, while for women, being single seems to be more advantageous, particularly when compared to those who became widowed or divorced.

Ho concludes that understanding these sex-specific differences in aging is essential for supporting older adults. "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," she says.

The findings could inform the development of programs and services to engage and support older adults, especially those who have never married or have gone through widowhood, separation, or divorce in later life.

This study, titled "The association between trajectories of marital status and successful aging varies by sex: Findings from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)," was recently published in International Social Work. It draws on longitudinal data from the baseline wave (2011-2015) and the first follow-up wave (2015-2018) of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), which included 7,641 respondents aged 60 and older, all of whom were in excellent health at the start of the study.

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