Updated: Mon Jul. 27 2009 8:17:54 PM

CTV.ca News Staff

A good divorce lawyer may keep you from getting taken to the cleaners, but having a legal eagle on your side won't protect you from the negative effects of marriage breakdown on your body, a new study says.

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University and the University of Chicago have found that divorce can have lingering detrimental health effects, even on those who dare try marriage a second time.

In a study of 8,700 people between the ages of 51 and 61, researchers found that those who were currently married but had been divorced at one time had a 12 per cent higher incidence rate of chronic conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes or cancer.

These subjects also had a 19 per cent increase in mobility limitations, such as difficulty climbing stairs, compared to those who had never been divorced.

The researchers also found that subjects who were still divorced (they had not remarried) or were widowed had 20 per cent more chronic health conditions and 23 per cent more mobility limitations when compared to those who had never divorced.

According to the researchers, one possible explanation for the results is the erosion of what they call a "stock" of health.

People enter adulthood with this "stock" of health, which is based on genetics and other factors, which will then be affected by their marital and other experiences.

"Each person's experience of marital gain and loss affect this stock of health," said study co-author and University of Chicago sociologist Linda Waite. "For example, the transition to marriage tends to bring an immediate health benefit, in that it improves health behaviours for men and financial well-being for women."

After divorce, a woman's financial position often worsens, while many men lose healthy lifestyle habits, the researchers said.

Divorce and child custody negotiations can also ratchet up stress levels, which are proven to have a negative impact on health.

Such effects will correspond with the ways in which different illnesses develop, according to Waite.

"Some health situations, like depression, seem to respond both quickly and strongly to changes in current conditions," she said. "In contrast, conditions such as diabetes and heart disease develop slowly over a substantial period and show the impact of past experiences, which is why health is undermined by divorce or widowhood, even when a person remarries."

Interestingly, subjects who had never married had a 12 per cent increase in mobility limitations and 13 per cent more depression-related symptoms. However, they did not show a difference in chronic health conditions compared to married subjects.

Waite conducted the study with Mary Elizabeth Hughes, an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins' Bloomberg School of Public Health. Their research will be published in the September issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior.

Comments are now closed for this story

Bored at Work - Winterpeg
Can we stop wasting money on studies like this and start putting money towards studies like...hmm I don't know maybe...cancer research and flu vacinations. Just a thought.

On another note, thanks, I'll be sure to tell the Mrs. that's it unhealthy to split up.

Single
Best tip: Never marry

To Bored at Work
I find you comment interesting, since you are "Bored at Work." Does that not make you the poster adult for wasting reasources.

Suzanne
It certainly doesn't come as a shock that divorce has a negative impact on health, but with that said, i'm sure staying in an unhappy marriage isn't the best for your health either.

Ken
In other news...sky is blue...details at 11.

Larry in Ottawa
Maybe people that make poor choices for their health are more likely to make other poor choices, such as partners, which leads to divorce?

They're going to need a little more evidence to conclusively say which way around the cause and effect are.

Bored at Work
To Suzanne, I agree. Staying in a failing relationship is not healthy and is probably worse than divorce.

To others, okay so bad choice for a name, but it's lunch break and I'm on my own time not the company's.

To my point in the first place. Money spent on studies such as this could be better spent in other areas of research.

Alistair McLaughlin
Is it the divorce that was bad for their health? Or the bad marriage that led to the divorce? Probably a combination of the two.

Marry carefully. Marry well. Of course I realize that is much easier said than done.

meerkat
Marriage is an institution, do you REALLY want to spend the rest of your life in an institution?

Worth asking, not?

Stephen Rosenfield
As a full-time practicing family mediator I see the stress separation and divorce has on both moms and dads every day. There are good divorces and bad ones. Often children with emotional or behavioural problems push parents beyond their ability to cope. While this is difficult for all parties a family mediator qualified to mediate parenting plans and the family's finances, both current and future, can help considerably, at a fraction of the cost of legal litigation. Couples who resolve their differences, quickly and fairly, will greatly reduce their stress levels during this very difficult time in their lives. Those who have children will be tied to each other for the rest of their lives. A good separation does help each person's ongoing health.

Richard
Did they not consider that perhaps some of the divorces were a direct result of poor health issues in the first place. It seems to me that in many situations where one person has limited mobility because of health conditions that developed at middle age, there is a greater chance of divorce.

While some of what they present as poor health factors may be based on the divorce, it is entirely possible that in some of these situations the divorce was based on the poor health.

Same can be said for many who never married.

I H8 Lawyers
Well I'll bet that the lawyers are feelin' ok when their finished taking their clients to the cleaners.

The only real winners of divorce are the lawyers. The real losers are the kids.

Ron
You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure this out.
An irrelevant study, any "sane" person would conclude the same.

Jim-Surrey
It is the court process that taxes your health. Unfair decisions by judges, lawyer fees, finding a competent lawyer.
The Family Court system in Canada is out dated and needs to be re-vamped.
Anyone who has had anything to do with FMEP will agree they are incompetent and prejudice towards fathers and do not treat each father different from the other. WE ARE ALL BAD BECAUSE WE FILE FOR DIVORCE. I had to put up with them for 5 years even though I always paid my support on time every month. I am NOW done and the FMEP albatross is off my back. My life can now move on.
I wish the best to all other fathers out there being abused by the Family Court system.

Andrea
It depends on who you are divorcing. If your with a partner who is religious, and your not, it is a very bad mix.Especially when it comes to personal time together.

Better off to be single, or with someone else who is more compatible.

Wanda
Getting a divorce was probably one of the best things that has happened in my life. I can honestly say that I am a much healthier and happier person today because of my divorce. Mentally healthier - now that's a big plus!!!

Philip Kerr (marriage counsellor)
Marriage is great but it requires sacrifice, loving more than just yourself and giving your life for your partner something few are willing to do. Shacking up isn't marriage, it isn't commitment and statistically it isn't likely to last either which is one contributor why we have such a high divorce rate.

A message to young women. If you want a guy to love you then love yourself to remain chaste and not shack up. He will respect you the more for it and the chances your marriage will last is much much better.

Anne
Yes, a study that is waste of money. Of course it is stressful, so are other life events. Anything seriously negative will take its toll. And, living with someone who has become a nasty spouse and parent is infinitly more damaging to health than divorcing them. And to one of the other writers, yes, the system is brutal to good decent fathers.

Carmen
Life is bad for your health, I say!

Mike
Wow - there's a bombshell.

Next study: the sun is bright.

Remarkable
Marriage is hard on your health??
It's hard on your health, finances, mental health, physical. It's hard on both families...it's just plain hard all the way around, no matter how you look at it.

Let me give some advice for those who are married and think that they will be happier if they weren't. Stay married!! Whatever you do, work as hard as you can to keep that marriage together and for pete sakes', swallow some of that pride.

I've been through a divorce with two kids and I can tell you, it was probably as hard, if not harder on the kids.

The only people who benefit from divorce and seperation are lawyers.

karen
What about the health problems caused by staying in a bad marriage?

Trent
Boo hoo, the poor little children. Did anyone ever stop to consider that the children are to blame for the divorce? The demanding little rug rats constantly demanding every ounce of time from each parent that they have no time for each other.

Fewer children will mean fewer divorces. Time to move past this idea that we must marry and have kids. How about we just live and die. The earth will be just fine without our children.

newly divorced
My marriage broke up for religous reasons...my wife thought she was God and I didn't!

Inquisitor
Any dramatic event causing emotional suffering or negatively affecting a life style and level of comfort one is acustomed to will definitely take toll on our health. No study required.

If life around us is out of balance we are out of balance, and the other way around. All is connected and inter-dependent.

There is only one simple, but also most complicated answer: for well-being "all we need is LOVE" -on all levels of our existence.

Karen Ottawa
I find this is such a huge leap. there are so many factors influencing fallout in a divorce, how amicable it is, are the ex partners using children as a wedge or threat, are there money issues yada yada yada. I totally agree that if it is an ugly divorce with a long drawn out court battle it would adversely affect your health since stress does that. however my ex and I were not compatible so it was best to live apart. the only thing we have in common is our attitude about our daughter, luckily we have both always come from a place, primarily, of putting her needs before our own. not always easy to do and it can go easier if people put their egos and hurt feelings aside but it depends on how someone leaves a marriage. if someone leaves and immediately hooks up with another partner that would be cruel, luckily I didnt have to deal with that, nor my ex. but some people act so darn selfish in these situations, I find.

Catwoman 37
To Mr. Kerr,

Your advice does not work.Women and men are too sexually active these days to stay with 1 partner all their lives. More and more people I know do not want to marry the old fashion way.Or follow a religion. Why, that is what causes the problems in marriage in the first place.

1) So many men and women are cheating on their partners because 1 is religious, or demanding and the other one isn't. Also, they don't like the time they have with one another. So why bother stay with the same partner.It is the worst thing.

2)Men will not date women that are looking for a long term relationship right away.These days men, and women just want to play the field a bit with no serious committment, before they decide on who they want. You can't expect a woman to sit there and wait until her number is called, life doesn't work that way anymore.

Women are more open to sex then they were in the past.Also,they have more career opportunities.

But this is an opinion from somebody who has seen lots of marriages split up, and is a bit more free spirited then the average woman.Also, has had an opportunity to marry, and it did not work out.Now , I am glad I didn't. I made a good decision not to marry him.

Get with the times, sometimes marriage does not suit everybody.

JeannieMc
Who said two people should stay together the rest of their lives?And married at that.I can't help noticing that unconventional marriages endure where traditionals unions fail.Get a husband and a lover and agree on an open relationship and voila! Happiness.!!!

French Canadian Chick
...and I bet you staying in a bad marriage is even worst for your health. No need for a complex study to figure that out!

Hozer in Sask.
Lawyers make everything bad for your health.Money problems make for bad marrigages therefore laywyers getting rich off of bad marragages make for bad health.Very simple math
any other problems in our country????

David Probst
I love these studies. They are so silly! Of course, divorce is bad for your health, but seriously they should look at toxic relationships. And after that, I suggest a study on the evils of sugar.

stevo
No kidding! And silly me, I thought it would be a great experience for a person's emotions, their physical well being and eating habits, not to mention their pocket book. Johns Hopkins has better things to do than tackle this no brainer.

Judy
Divorce was a plus for me - I've never been so happy!

wendy getchell
Dah! We needed people to waste time and spend tax dollars on such a survey? Please!
Anybody with half a brain knows love and laughter will keep you healthy for many years. Let's drive divorce lawyers out of business and stat marrying for the right reasons.
Human beings are not meant to be alone, don't fool yourself. Wouldn't you rather die of old age with a smile on your face? :)

Fred - Brandon MB
My marriage broke up because of a personality conflict. I couldn't get along with my wife's boyfriends!

Sarah
To Meerkat.

Marriage is a commitment, not an institution.

The lawyers are making me really ill.
It's the lawyers that are bad for your health and pocketbook. They just love to prolong things, make endless phone calls, write reams of pointless letters and draw negotiations out so they can embellish their fees and in the course fleece your bank account and line theirs.

I suggest to any couple who can speak civil to each other to do their own "joint petition for divorce" and save thousands if not tens of thousands on divorce lawyers. It works I've done it.

Michael
A word to divorced mom's. Because you end up with the children is no license to trash their father.

If you trash their dad instead of encouraging them to continue in relationship you ruin your kids lives and cause untold emotional damage and future baggage all because you may have resentment issues. It's not right. Take the high road ladies. Your kids will eventually respect you for it. If you don't it all comes back to bite you.

TG
It does not surprise me as the stress that comes with divorce and all the negotating for who gets what is very stressful. Also, it is kind of upsetting for a person to let go of someone that they loved with all their heart when they first fell in love.

Phineas from Vernon
Next study.
The effects of being single on ones health.
Cant be all good.
Im just saying this since Ive seen some saying the answer is to not get married at all. I think that is silly, since there probably is also a link between being single and some negative impact it has on health.
Cant loneliness and longing kill?

Try the high road first... divorce can be avoided
The Excellence of Love:

LOVE is patient, LOVE is kind and LOVE is not jealous; LOVE doesn't brag and LOVE isn't arrogant, LOVE doesn't act unbecomingly; LOVE doesn't seek its own, LOVE is not easily provoked, LOVE does not take into account a wrong suffered, LOVE does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; LOVE bears all things, LOVE believes all things, LOVE hopes all things, LOVE endures all things. Love never quits...

Abuse is unacceptable from anyone whether that be physical abuse or emotional nitpicking.

Couples sometimes need to relearn how to love each other often times and it takes effort but its not impossible. It's a better alternative than divorce...been there done that.

Another2minsIllnevergetback
Thank goodness we invested money into this worthwhile research instead of in other useless causes like social systems and infrastructure.

fitzz
I'm so happy to report the initial contention to be true. I lost my shirt but that good lawyer saved my skin.

The other good news is that one can speculate gleefully that the health of that former spouse will hopefully deteriorate more quickly and deeply than one's own!

"the transition to marriage tends to bring an immediate health benefit, in that it improves . . . . financial well-being for women." Kind of a statement of the extremely obvious, no?

Just find an attractive stranger and ask her what kind of a house she would like you to buy for her. It would save a lot of time!

Rick
First--I agree useless study.
Second:-The Lawyers are what is bad for your health (and the current law on divorce)--you have one who is trying to get all he possibly can for one spouse (and he will get it !)--and the other Lawyer who supposedly is working for you--but knows he can't win anything for you due to the ridiculus laws cureently in place--but leads you on to believe he can do something for 2 or 3 years--then tells you pay it anyway--if we go to court--you will lose anyway. And it will cost you another $30g's--which I already gave him. Hmmmm--was the first time for me--so first timers?-for your own health--get it over quickly.
On the other side--I am happier than I ever was and healthier too--25 years of stress--gone!! I found my perfect partner after the divorce.

Josh in High Prairie
Though it is nice to have the studies back it up, this information is redundant and superfluous. Marriage, like anything worth doing takes work, and hard work at that.

Sharon
Where I see the problem is when certain couples who are preparing for the commitment, some tend to invest a lot of time, energy and money into preparing a wedding, which only lasts one day. Marriage is something that is supposed to last for life, and with all the hecticness that some couples have when preparing their wedding, more likely than not they are not investing an equal amount of time in preparing their marriage (this is debatable if the couple takes marriage courses or something like that in a church or other instution, and of course maybe wedding numbers might change with the economic crisis, and unless some couples try to pull it off for under 10 grand for the day), it's no wonder that some people get divorced over silly little things...I'm not married myself, but I sometimes ask myself if it really is worth it for a married couple to split up and ruin their health over how the toilet paper hangs in the bathroom?

Maria-Toronto
Divorce is bad for your health I beleive when children are involved...lots of stress just thinking what the children have to go through because mom & dad no longer get along.
But for sure, staying in a bad marriage is also unhealthy...I'm the perfect example...I stay for the children, fear the stress I might cause if I file for divorce... I try to be positive and simply let negativity in one ear out the other.
To the single people...ENJOY AND BE WISE WHEN CHOOSING A MATE...love is indeed blind!!!