Although the passage of time is unforgiving, not everyone ages the same. Your lifestyle, habits, and genes all significantly affect how healthy you are as you age. But there’s another important factor, one that is more often than not overlooked.

A recent study from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging sheds new light on how marital status — whether one is married, divorced, widowed, or single — affects aging differently for men and women. The findings are quite striking and unexpected.

They suggest that men benefit more from being married when it comes to aging “successfully”. Men who were continuously married, continuously widowed, or who married between data collection periods were significantly more likely to age successfully compared to their never-married counterparts.

In contrast, the marital status of women had a much more modest effect on their aging outcomes.

The Impact of Marital Status on Aging

“Successful aging” is a concept that has evolved over time, reflecting a broad range of ideas about what it means to age well. In general, successful aging refers to maintaining physical health, mental health, social well-being, and overall life satisfaction as one grows older. This concept goes beyond simply avoiding disease or disability; it includes achieving a sense of purpose, staying engaged in meaningful activities, and maintaining positive relationships with others.

The term was popularized by Rowe and Kahn in the late 1980s and 1990s. They initially defined successful aging as a combination of low probability of disease and disability, high cognitive and physical functioning, and active engagement with life. However, this strict definition has faced criticism for being too narrow and not reflective of the realities many older adults face, particularly those living with chronic illnesses or disabilities.

In response to these critiques, more recent models of successful aging, such as the one used in this new study, have adopted a broader and more inclusive approach. This includes recognizing that individuals can still experience successful aging even if they have chronic health conditions, as long as they maintain a good quality of life through psychological and social resources. This more comprehensive understanding includes subjective well-being, personal perceptions of aging, and the ability to adapt to life’s changes and challenges.

The research followed over 7,000 Canadians, middle-aged and older, for approximately three years. It found that men who were married or became married during the study period were twice as likely to age optimally compared to their never-married counterparts. This finding aligns with earlier studies that suggest marriage is often linked with better health outcomes for men.

“Little is known about the relationship between marital trajectories in old age and successful aging. Our goal was to see whether different marital trajectories were associated with physical health and well-being and whether these relationships varied for men and women,” says first author Dr. Mabel Ho, a recent doctoral graduate at the University of Toronto.

According to lead author Prof. David Burnes, from the University of Toronto, married people may encourage each other to adopt or maintain positive health behaviors, such as quitting smoking or exercising regularly. Sometimes, even something as simple as nudging your spouse to go to the doctor can make a world of difference. This supportive dynamic could be a key factor in why married men seem to fare better as they age.

However, the study presented a different picture for women. Interestingly, women who had never married were twice as likely to age optimally compared to those who became widowed or divorced during the study period. There was no significant difference between married and never-married women in terms of optimal aging.

Yet this doesn’t necessarily mean that married men don’t provide the same level of support to their spouses as married women. Women’s aging process appears to be influenced by a broader set of factors. This could be because women often have more extensive social networks outside of marriage, such as friendships and community ties, which provide them with emotional support independent of their marital status. So, the presence or absence of a spouse may not have as strong an influence on their overall well-being.

Healthy Lifestyle and Social Life

Regardless of marital status, the study highlighted the importance of social connections and healthy lifestyle choices in maintaining optimal health as people age. Older adults who were not socially isolated and maintained regular contact with friends, family, and neighbors were more likely to age successfully. Furthermore, lifestyle factors such as maintaining a healthy body weight, staying physically active, avoiding insomnia, and not smoking were crucial in promoting optimal aging.

“Being socially connected with others is important, especially in later life. Having regular contact with relatives, friends and neighbours can help older adults feel connected, reduce their sense of loneliness, and improve their overall well-being,” says Eleanor Pullenayegum, a ​Senior Scientist at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and professor at the University of Toronto.

The implications of this research extend beyond the individual. As Canada’s population continues to age, understanding the factors that contribute to successful aging can help inform social policies and support systems that enhance the quality of life for older adults. For example, social work interventions could focus on providing additional support to unmarried older men, who may be at higher risk of poor aging outcomes.

The authors of the study stressed that it’s never too late to adopt healthier habits, like quitting smoking, to improve one’s chances of aging well.

“Our study underlines the importance of understanding sex-specific differences in aging so that we can better support older men and women to continue to thrive in later life,” concluded Ho. “Our findings can inform the development of programs and services to engage and support older adults, particularly those who were never married or experienced widowhood, separation, and divorce in later life.”

The findings appeared in the journal International Social Work.