From “What’s New” at Netscape. It pays to be married, partnered, or at least have a roommate!

“Lonely, single men in their 30s, especially those who are living alone, are much more prone to developing high blood pressure than married men of the same age who live with their families, according to new research from a team of doctors in Japan, reports Tokyo’s Mainichi Daily Times.
“Researchers from Chuden Hospital in Hiroshima surveyed 1,570 male employees of a Japanese company. Among this group, 217 of the men lived alone, including some married men who were living apart from their families. They found that the number of men in their 30s who lived alone and suffered from high blood pressure was 3.6 times higher than the men of the same age who lived with their families. Specifically, 14.9 percent of the 30-something men living alone had hypertension, compared with 4.1 percent of the men who lived with their families. By the time they reached their 40s, 21.4 percent of the men who lived alone had high blood pressure, compared with 13.8 percent of those who lived with their spouses.
“Why? The doctors theorize that men who live alone do not eat as well, specifically missing out on fruits and vegetables, and did not exercise as frequently. Also, because they tended to dine out more frequently, they often consumed foods with too much salt. Excess salt is a known cause of hypertension.
“The study results are noteworthy because they clearly show the damaging effect irregular lifestyles can have on health. “The ratio of those in their 30s living alone who have high blood pressure is almost equal to that of those in their 40s living with their spouses,” study leader Dr. Hiroyuki Hiraga told the Mainichi Daily Times. “Men living by themselves are prone to suffer from diseases caused by irregular lifestyles. They should be careful to take a balanced diet.” The study findings will be presented on Thursday to a study session of the Japan Society of Internal Medicine in Osaka.”