Work is good for your health?

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Work is good for your health?
1599
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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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-03-2006
Wed, 06-07-2006 - 1:07pm

Okay, so I will enter that into my little "Rules of Debating with Liberal Posters on IVillage" journal. So, now reasons have to be current.

What's current? In the past 5 years? 10 years? 20 years? 30 years? I know, not 40 years.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-12-2003
Wed, 06-07-2006 - 1:09pm
No, to think that all someone would have to do is go out and get a job and work hard in order to secure health insurance is living in a rosy bubble.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-03-2006
Wed, 06-07-2006 - 1:09pm

Wouldn't that be hypothetical? Who wants to be bashed about hypothetical statements now?

You must think I'm a glutton for punishment.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-10-2003
Wed, 06-07-2006 - 1:10pm
Protection from what?
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-03-2006
Wed, 06-07-2006 - 1:11pm
No, what's living in a rosy, bubble is expecting the government to pick up the tab and having everyone else suffer because one can't afford health care insurance.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-03-2006
Wed, 06-07-2006 - 1:12pm

Weren't you talking about Castro coming here?

So, I guess I meant protection from the Loch Ness monster coming here.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-10-2003
Wed, 06-07-2006 - 1:13pm
Just stating why, right now as we speak, he is a threat will be sufficient.
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Wed, 06-07-2006 - 1:17pm

I made no such comparison.

PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-12-2003
Wed, 06-07-2006 - 1:18pm
Do you attribute the availability of health insurance through your employers to working hard?
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-10-2003
Wed, 06-07-2006 - 1:19pm
No, we didn't. We did establish that one would need protection if he were to come here, however. From what, I have no idea, though

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