Can Divorce Affect Your Nutrition?

 Posted on June 14, 2016 in Divorce

Could ending your marriage lead to a decline in your nutrition? Yes, says a new Social Science & Medicine study conducted in the United Kingdom, but apparently only for men. Divorce can be a challenging experience, and it is common for nutrition to fall by the wayside during a stressful separation, but it now appears that long-term declines in nutrition are affecting men for years after divorce, leading to potential health risks.

Diet Decline

Past studies have explored how marriage affects one’s diet, but little research has ever been conducted on how a divorce or separation can affect long-term nutritional health. In this recent study, researchers examined the health of nearly 12,000 participants over a 4 year period. Participants were asked to estimate how many fruits and vegetables they incorporated into their diets. At the start of the study, many of the men and women were married or in long term relationships, but by the end, 2.4 percent of men and 4.5 percent of women involved had become divorced, widowed, or separated.

When compared to the men who remained in long-term relationships, the 2.4 percent of men who had been divorced or separated reported a 25 percent drop in the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables they consumed. The group of separated women, however, showed no statistically significant change. Research has shown that a decline in fruit and vegetable consumption can put individuals at a greater risk for cancer and cardiovascular disease. The separated men also reported that their diets had become less varied, another potential health risk. Limited diets are linked to some types of cancer and Type 2 diabetes. Again, women showed no substantial change in the variety of their diet post divorce.

Researchers also asked participants about their alcohol consumption. One could easily assume that alcohol consumption would increase post divorce, but interestingly enough, alcohol consumption remained the same for men, and women actually lowered their consumption by the equivalent of one drink a week.

Stressful Divorce?

The experienced Naperville divorce attorneys at Pesce Law Group, P.C., understand that divorce is sometimes inevitable, and we will work diligently to ensure each client as smooth a divorce experience as possible. Divorce in Illinois can be complicated, and we will do everything we can to simplify the process for you and your family. We offer both litigation and non-litigation solutions, depending on your needs, and will work to protect your legal and financial rights. We have experience handling even the most complex of divorce cases. Call us today at 630-352-2240 to learn more about the variety of divorce solutions we can provide.

Sources:

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/05/24/male-nutrition-declines-after-divorce-while-females-arent-affected.html