The benefits of marriage between a man and a woman, and the devastating effects of divorce, continue to be proven by new research. 

A study from the University of Chicago, funded by the National Institute on Aging, concluded that more time spent in a divorced condition led to a higher likelihood of heart or lung disease, cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and difficulty with mobility. 

People who were married at the time of the study and had never been divorced or widowed had 20 percent fewer chronic conditions. Additional health benefits of marriage include fewer symptoms of depression, greater mobility in middle age, less drinking and smoking and general better health. Divorce, on the other hand, is thought to weaken the immune system, due to increased stress. 

We continue to see evidence that God’s design – lifelong marriage between a man and a woman – is best for us in so many ways. It is clear, married couple’s healthier state springs from the protective, stabilizing effect of marriage as God intended it.

Read More:

Why Marriage Matters for Adults (Focus on the Family)

Healthy, Wealthy, & Wed (University of Chicago Magazine)