posted April 21, 2006 09:07 PM         

A woman who moves in with a bloke often gets fatter - while he stays thinner, a survey says. Girls tend to eat less healthily in a stable relationship, despite encouraging their lover to scoff more fruit and veg. Men benefit by getting regular planned meals as a result of better shopping and food preparation. But woman are far more likely to turn to calorie - packed comfort foods, such as chocolate, when faced with the emotional stress of having to deal with a live-in partner. Researchers studied long term relationships, including marriages, across the world. They found partners trying to please each other during the 'honeymoon' period. But while men reported a reduction in 'bad foods' woman ate more fat and sugar.
Couples also tend to spend less time exercising and food can become 'symbolic' in a long-term relationship, in which both partners are likely to pile on the pounds. Woman have also been found to gain weight following a break-up, but it does not appear to have the same effect on men. The report by nutritionists at newcastle University found woman have the strongest influence over diet and lifestyle.