A recent study found that men who were married or who were married during the study period were twice as likely to have an increased lifespan than men who had never married.

However, there was no significant difference in ageing between married and unmarried women.

The study of more than 7,000 middle-aged and older Canadians, led by Mabel Ho of the University of Toronto, explored how different marital statuses affect physical health and well-being in old age.

The results, published in International Social Work, analysed data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) collected between 2011-2018, separately for men and women.

How did researchers define optimal aging?

Optimal aging is defined as a high level of happiness, good physical and mental health, and being free from serious physical, mental, or emotional conditions that affect daily life.

The study focused on participants who were of a good age at the start.

Previous research shows that marriage often leads to better health outcomes, especially for men. Married people may encourage each other to adopt healthy habits such as quitting smoking or staying active, said David Burns, a professor at the University of Toronto.

The study also highlighted the importance of social connections.

Older people who regularly interacted with family, friends and neighbours were more likely to be in good health than those who were socially isolated.

Senior scientist Eleanor Pulaneyagam said that staying connected with others helps older adults feel less lonely and improves their well-being.

Lifestyle factors such as maintaining a healthy weight, being active, avoiding insomnia, and not smoking also play an important role in aging well.

Esme Fuller-Thomson, another professor at the University of Toronto, stressed that it’s never too late to quit, as former smokers in the study were more likely to live longer as they age than those who continued to smoke.

Mabel Ho concluded, “Our study underlines the importance of understanding gender-specific differences in ageing, so that we can provide better support for older men and women to thrive in later life.”

The researchers hope their findings will help develop better programs to support older adults, especially those who never married or who face widowhood, separation or divorce later in life.