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This Makes You 70% More Likely to Exercise

They say spouses do everything together–even eating right.

Now new research from the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health reveals something else they shouldn’t do alone.

According to the research, which was presented at the American Heart Association’s EPI/Lifestyle 2015 Scientific Sessions in Baltimore, MD, husbands whose partners were physically active were 70 percent more likely to exercise as well, suggesting spouses can directly influence physical activity. Conversely, wives whose husbands were physically active were 40 percent more likely to exercise as well.

On the contrary, people who did not exercise were more likely to have a spouse that didn’t exercise as well.

“When it comes to physical fitness, the best peer pressure to get moving could be coming from the person who sits across from you at the breakfast table,” says Laura Cobb, co-author of the study and a doctoral student at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health. “There’s an epidemic of people in this country who don’t get enough exercise and we should harness the power of the couple to ensure people are getting a healthy amount of physical activity.”

The Research

Looking at data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC), which first began in 1987, Cobb narrowed down her research to 3,261 couples whose physical activity was recorded twice between 1987 and 1989. During the first examination, 33 percent of the females spouses and 40 percent of the male spouses met national physical activity recommendations as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

By the next visit, however, researchers found something interesting–the spouses who were active during the first visit were up to 70 percent more likely to have a spouse who was also just as physically active. On the contrary, those who didn’t meet physical activity guidelines during the first visit usually didn’t have spouses that met these guidelines either.

For researchers, these findings show just how important spousal support is when making exercise a habit. Not surprisingly, they suggest that enlisting your spouse’s help could be your best bet for making exercise a habit.

“We all know how important exercise is to staying healthy,” says Cobb. “This study tells us that one spouse could have a really positive impact on the other when it comes to staying fit and healthy for the long haul.”

What This Means For You

When it comes to exercise, support is essential–and this study shows your spouse could be your best source. So if you want to stay committed, try exercising together: Chances are you’ll stick with it!

Readers: Do you and your spouse exercise together? Why or why not?

Sources:
Spouse “More Likely to Increase Exercise Levels if Other Spouse Does” (Study)MedicalNewsToday.com
Improving Your Fitness Could Improve the Fitness of Your Spouse (Press Release)NewsWise.com
Spouse May Provide Best Inspiration When it Comes to Exercise: ResearchTechTimes.com
2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (PDF)CDC.gov

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