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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How about, I will answer your question AFTER you answer mine. You ask a question, I answer it, I ask a question, you answer it, that's how it works. Now please tell me how Castro is a THREAT, not whether or not I would want to live where he is dictator.
For a little help, here is the definition of threat.
threat Audio pronunciation of "threat" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (thrt)
n.
1. An expression of an intention to inflict pain, injury, evil, or punishment.
2. An indication of impending danger or harm.
3. One that is regarded as a possible danger; a menace.
Haha, good ones, I'll raise you Banff, Jasper national parks, Queen Charlottes, nootka sound, P.E.I, Niagra Falls...
"No, I'm a bit more intelligent than to think that Canada has no healthcare. I'd take the US healthcare system anyday over Canada's."
Wow, that's so interesting to hear you say that -- I've never heard that before. Why do you consider that system better? I don't know which system is better, but I do know that there are pros and cons to both sides; and the thing is if you have insurance in the states, isn't that basically the same as Canadian then, which means there's no difference.
"But, I know I will hear a story about someone's uncle's cousin's friend that received a heart transplant in one day and they lived happily ever after. So, that kind of defeats my case."
No, no stories here, and quite the contrary acctually, which is why some people want us to get a privatized health, but others say that its not fair to the poor people out there who don't have insurance or the money to pay for health care; it would create a two-tiered system where the rich would be treated before the poor, which sort of defeats tommy douglas' idea.
yeah, I think that's sorta what I meant, like if you have medical insurance, that's the same as living here - no bills, so no difference.
See post 984.
In the future, if it lifts your ego to post a definition of a word, refrain from doing it in posts to me. I'm a bit more intelligent than you think I am.
Thanks for your cooperation.
The US or Canada?
PumpkinAngel
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