For this study, 198 married men and women age 20 to 69 years old wore portable blood pressure monitors which took measurements at random intervals throughout a 24 hour period. After accounting for a variety of other factors, it was found that parents’ blood pressure was an average of 4.5/3 mmHg lower than the non-parents. Women showed the most drastic difference, with mothers’ blood pressure averaging 12/7mmHg lower than non-mothers. These results held true regardless of the age of the children, the number of children parented and employment status of the parents.

The researchers behind the study point out that it may not be the physical act of having a child that is associated with lower blood pressure, but the lifestyle and psychological implications often associated with parenting.

For more information see:
“Married With Children: The Influence of Parental Status and Gender on Ambulatory Blood Pressure” by Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Wendy Birmingham, Adam M. Howard and Dustin Thoman. Published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine Volume 38, Number 3, 170-179, DOI: 10.1007/s12160-009-9152-1. It can be viewed online at http://www.springerlink.com/content/q8377r8nut736272/?p=ad94d286afd14bcab9acd8c17907723d&pi=4.

For the study, 204 married and 99 single adults had their blood pressure recorded an average of 72 times over a 24 hour period. Questionnaires were used to establish whether a couple was “happily” or “unhappily” married as well as the strength of the single adult’s support network.

The results revealed that the happily married couple’s blood pressure was lower when compared to the single adults, even when those adults has a supportive network of friends. Unhappily married couples had the highest blood pressure of the three study groups. Julianne Holt-Lunstad, professor at Brigham Young University who lead the study, noted that the marriage relationship can provide emotional support and spouses often encourage each other to live healthier lifestyles.

“There seem to be some unique health benefits from marriage,” said Holt-Lunstad, “It’s not just being married that benefits health – what’s really the most protective of health is having a happy marriage.”

The study is titled “Is There Something Unique about Marriage? The Relative Impact of Marital Status, Relationship Quality, and Network Social Support on Ambulatory Blood Pressure and Mental Health” and was published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine.

Sources:

“Happily marrieds have lower blood pressure than social singles, BYU study shows” BYU Press Release. Retrieved 9-9-08 from http://byunews.byu.edu/archive08-MAR-happilymarried.aspx.