Work is good for your health?
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| Mon, 05-15-2006 - 5:25am |
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/healthnews.php?newsid=43421
Working Mothers Healthier Than Full-time Housewives
Main Category: Women's Health / OBGYN News
Article Date: 15 May 2006 - 1:00am (PDT)
According to new research carried out in Britain, working mothers enjoy better health than full-time housewives. Despite the stress working mothers face by holding down a job, dealing with childcare, housework and striving to keep the family happy.
It appears that working mothers, when compared to full-time housewives, are less likely to become overweight, have a better level of health and a healthier relationship. The study also found that single mothers experience worse health than working mothers who have a partner and children.
You can read about this study in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
Team leader, Dr. Anne McMunn, University College London, said that women who combine work with children and marriage do seem to have better health than full-time housewives. Even though they may experience high levels of stress sometimes.
It is not a question of chicken-and-egg either. Dr. McMunn said it is the experience of work plus having a family that brings on the better health, not the fact that only healthier mothers decide to carry on working.
The researchers examined data on women born in 1946 from the Medical Research Council's National Study of Health and Development. The data registers their health from 1946 until they are 54. Women's health was examined, with the help of a questionnaire at the ages of 26 through to 54. Every decade, the questionnaire collects data on each woman's work history, whether she is/was married, has children, her height and weight.
The healthiest women were the ones who had all three of the following:
-- A Partner
-- Children
-- A job
Those reporting the worst health were stay-at-home mothers, followed by childless women and single mothers.
38% of stay-at-home mothers were obese when they reached their 50s, for working mothers the percentage was 23%.
Written by: Christian Nordqvist
Editor: Medical News Today

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If Castro decided to move out of Cuba and live next to me, the only threat he would pose is being an attractant for picketing Cuban expats. The traffic would be awful.
You don't understand foreign relations or the nature of power or the nature of threat.
"I love a well written debate point. I love to read the editorials in the paper as well and can see beyond my agreement or disagreement with subject to recognize that they were well written."
Tell me about one editorial you have read with a differing viewpoint from your own that you would deem well written and "educated."
"Take it to the next step, which you and a few others are unwilling to do. If you wouldn't vacation there for fear of him, would you be happy if he came to this country? Why would you not be happy if he came to this country? Possibly because he's a threat to our way of life?"
Out of curiosity, who said specifically that they would never vacation in Cuba? But ok, I'll bite...I have no interest in vacationing in Cuba for the same reason I have no interest in vacationing in Florida: I hate heat and I'm not that into the tropical scene. I saw enough of it as a child to last me a lifetime. I could imagine maybe going for Hawaii sometime because the volcanos look spectacular, but that's about my tolerance limit for tropical life.
I honestly don't care at all if Castro ever came to the U.S. The guy is not a threat and he probably has plenty of money to burn in tourist traps. It would do some local economies a load of good....
Certainly not any more than any US citizen or any other leader who visits US soil or the United Nations.
PumpkinAngel
And you both work for companies that can afford to offer very good rates for healthcare insurance.
Chris
The truth may be out there but lies are in your head. Terry Pratchett
Jennie
Personally, I think that lifting the sanctions will cause him to fall faster. There is nothing like a little economic boost to change things fast. Of course, we run the risk of Cuba turning out like Japan and winning the economic war instead of a military war.
Chris
The truth may be out there but lies are in your head. Terry Pratchett
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