Stay single if you want to get in shape

When it comes to health, most studies suggest that being married is a good thing - particularly if your marriage is a happy one. But the latest report from experts from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm suggests being married isn't so good for your physical fitness.

Having followed almost 9,000 adults over three years, the researchers discovered the couples who married during that time experienced a drop in their fitness levels. On the other hand, men who divorced during the same period shaped up, while women who remained single also saw an increase in their fitness.

It sounds pretty logical when you think about it. At least it does if you buy into the idea that once you get married, you let yourself go a bit. Not being on the dating scene any longer could, after all, make most people less motivated to stay in shape.

There again the difference in fitness levels between married couples and single people wasn't huge - but it's something that anyone getting married should bear in mind, say the researchers, whose report has just been published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. In other words, tying the knot isn't an excuse to ditch your gym membership.

Another piece of marital advice comes from US psychologists writing in the Journal of Family Psychology. If you don't have sex until your wedding night, you could end up happier and your relationship could be more stable - plus even your sex life could be better, they say.

That's a pretty amazing statement, since fewer people are bothering to even get married these days. What do you think?