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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NO, but then again I never, ever said that or anything close to that, so what does that have to do with your personal attack on me?
PumpkinAngel
"The privilede of being born in the greatest country in the world.
And that's JMHO
"
That's great that you have such pride in your country. I also have great pride in my country. But what makes the USA the best country in the world? I'm not even sure I see what's so different about it in terms of any country in the western world (especially canada)? I have to admit that I haven't lived in any other country, but I have travelled to over 10; but to be fair I can only compare any of them to where I live.
Many thing is the States are great, like running water, electricity, blah blah blah, but how does that make it better than Canada? or a multitude of other Countries in Europe?
Like I said, it's great to have pride. I'm just wondering where the basis is for a lot of americans who think their country is the best in the world?
Blame?
PumpkinAngel
As I wrote, that's JMHO.
You can say Canada the's greatest, Fidel can say Cuba's the greatest, Saddam can say Iraq is the greatest.
It's in the eye of the beholder.
Perhaps it will just take another 40 years?
PumpkinAngel
I did no such thing.
PumpkinAngel
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