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: 06-27-1998
Tue, 06-06-2006 - 4:51pm

Ah, but of course.

PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Tue, 06-06-2006 - 5:02pm
i am patriotic and care more than just a fig about the country i was born into - which is why it is so upsetting to me the things the bush administration are doing to the country that i love.
Jennie
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-03-2003
Tue, 06-06-2006 - 5:18pm
If you are talking about me with regards to taking advice from my sister, she is not 16.
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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-08-2003
Tue, 06-06-2006 - 5:26pm
I, of course, would like mine with Red, White, and Blue stripes and the added feature of a white noise machine built in..I need to do something about my blood pressure ;)
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-10-2003
Tue, 06-06-2006 - 5:39pm
Depends entirely on the relative in question.
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-12-2003
Tue, 06-06-2006 - 6:33pm
Do you answer every question with another question? ROFL
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-12-2003
Tue, 06-06-2006 - 6:34pm
I seem to remember you and I being on opposite sides a few months back . :)
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-12-2003
Tue, 06-06-2006 - 6:36pm
Come on PA, she already answered! It threatens us because we can't go there on vacation.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-03-2006
Tue, 06-06-2006 - 6:38pm
What does one have to do with the other? If I was doing nothing wrong, I'd have no problem with people snooping.
To give out my phone number to a complete stranger is foolish.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-03-2006
Tue, 06-06-2006 - 6:40pm
For starters, healthcare.

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