Exercise is better when you have a buddy. That’s the finding from a British study published in JAMA Internal Medicine.
The investigators queried over 3,500 couples in 2000 and have followed up with them several times since. These middle-aged people were more likely to improve their health behaviors and increase their physical activity if their partners participated.
Seventy percent of men whose wives joined them at the gym or running on the road were able to increase their fitness, and 36 percent of women who partners joined them in a weight loss effort shed pounds. That’s compared to only 15 percent of women whose partners were not interested in weight loss and 26 percent of men who partners did not join them in exercise.
This shows how people can support their spouses in positive health habits. While the effect may be strongest for people who live together, recruiting a friend for walking or exercise class can also be a great way to maintain an active New Year’s resolution beyond the end of January.
Even non-human friends can help in this effort to increase activity and improve health habits. Previous studies have shown that people with dogs are more likely to walk every day, because the dog demands it.
