A study conducted at the University of Edinburgh shows that people unwittingly choose a pair with a comparable life expectancy.
In addition, spouses often have risks of similar diseases, such as high blood pressure or heart disease. This was revealed through genetic research. The findings help to explain why long-term couples often suffer from the same diseases at a later age and have the same life expectancy.
We used data from a large British study (UK Biobank), which collected a large database of information about genes and lifestyle factors that affect health. It is formed with the participation of more than half a million people.
The group studied information about the parents of married couples and found that even they had similar genetic risk factors for diseases and a similar life expectancy. The number of matches was greater than a mere chance could explain.
Since many diseases are not visible at first glance when choosing a partner, experts attribute this to the fact that couples often form in the same environment with a similar lifestyle. It is he who is genetically related to the disease. Maintaining joint habits, such as smoking or, conversely, a healthy diet, is most likely to lead to the development of similar diseases at a later age and, ultimately, to a similar life expectancy.