Women living with partners put on more weight

Women who live with a partner put on more weight than those without a partner or a child, according to a new study.

The study conducted by Wendy Brown, Annette Dobson, U-Q both professors and Richard Hockey of University of Queensland (U-Q), also found that women also experience a larger weight gain after having their first baby.

Researchers surveyed more than 6,000 women over a 10 year period to assess the factors associated with weight gain in young women.

Women with a baby and partner gained the most weight, followed by those with a partner and no baby. Women without a partner or children also gained weight, but at a lower rate.

Dobson and co-authors suggest that the weight gain among all women may be explained by changing social and behavioural factors, said an UQ release.

"This is a general health concern as obesity rates continue to increase," said Dobson.

These findings were published in the January edition of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.