India, Dec. 9 -- Researchers at UCLA say the real health advantage in marriage isn't the ring - it is the emotional support inside the relationship. Married people who feel genuinely understood by their partners tend to weigh less than those who do not, with supported spouses showing BMIs roughly five points lower. It is not a small gap. And the team behind the work believes this has more to do with biology than willpower.

The study, published in Gut Microbes, suggests that supportive marriages may help raise oxytocin levels - the bonding hormone - which then influences how the brain responds to food and how the gut handles nutrients. It edges the science toward a clearer picture: the emotional climate at home may steer appetite and meta...