Story at a glance
- Researchers found that people who undergo bariatric surgery are twice as likely to get married, while married people who go through the procedure are twice as likely to divorce, when compared to the general population.
- The team examined data from 1,441 U.S. adults — aged 19 to 75 — between 2006 and 2009 who underwent the two most common surgical procedures for severe obesity.
- Approximately 79 percent of adults involved in the study were women and 62 percent of participants were married or living with a partner. The remainder were separated, divorced, widowed or had always been single.
Two of the most common weight loss surgeries for severe obesity have been linked to greater chances of both divorce and marriage, according to a new study.
Researchers from University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health found that people who undergo bariatric surgery are twice as likely to get married while married people who go through the procedure are twice as likely to divorce, when compared to the general population.
The team examined data from 1,441 U.S. adults — aged 19 to 75— between 2006 and 2009 who underwent the two most common surgical procedures for severe obesity and were enrolled in a longitudinal study.
Approximately 79 percent of adults involved in the study were women and 62 percent of participants were married or living with a partner. The remainder were separated, divorced, widowed or had always been single.
Researchers found that 18 percent of people involved in the study were married within five years of the procedure compared to 7 percent in the general population. Likewise, the 8 percent who divorced doubled the number in the general population.
“Weight loss is generally the goal of bariatric surgery, but people have a variety of motivators for wanting to lose weight – for example, remission of Type 2 diabetes and improvement in joint pain,” lead author Wendy King, an associate professor of epidemiology at Pitt Public Health, said in a news release.
“Patients have also described the desire for romantic partnership or improving relationships as important motivators,” King continued. “Before this study, we had no quantitative data in the U.S. on how marital status changes after bariatric surgery – are patients more likely to get married, divorced, find romantic stability?”
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King said there were a host of factors that could lead a couple to change their relationship dynamic, including the notion that those living with a partner were already on track for marriage. Still, weight loss mattered when it came to divorce and separation as those who lost more weight were more likely to get divorced.
“This could indicate that a patient’s changing lifestyle post-surgery put them out of sync with their spouse,” King said.
“It can be really hard when one spouse changes what they eat and how active they are, and desires more sexual activity, while the other doesn’t. That can put significant strain on a marriage. It may be important for couples to consider this and have strategies to maintain their connection after surgery.”
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