According to the results of one new interesting study in relationships and psychology, the women with extra weight are more likely to have lower quality relationships, however, the study claims that the same does not apply to their male counterparts.

Dr. Janet D. Latner, an associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and New Zealand Clinical Psychologist Dr. Alice Boyes, set to find out what are the effects of body image and weight on the quality of romantic relationships as well as what are the opinions of men and women on this matter.

The investigators examined the associations between body mass index (BMI), quality of a relationship and other relationship perceptions in nearly 60 couples in New Zealand. After series of interviews with all the couples, the scientists have revealed that women with heavier weight tended to have a lower self esteem and were more likely to partner with less desirable men in order to keep them from getting hurt. Overweight thought that their partners would consider or rate them as less warm and trustworthy.

The study also found that the male partners of the overweight ladies did not appear to be positive in their judgments of their partner's weight and they rated them as poorer matches to their ideal partners for attractiveness. What is more, these men reported that they did not see themselves next to someone with extreme weight as their perfect match. On the contrary, men's body mass index was generally not associated with the quality of a relationship. Women said that a man's weight was not a major factor to their ideas of a good overall relationship.

These findings point to the potential mechanisms that may be adding to overweight women's relationship problems. According to Dr. Latner, prejudice and discrimination are commonly directed at people with extreme weight. However, several previous studies have analyzed whether weight stigma occurs within established romantic relationships. The new results suggest it does, she said.

Tags: Relationships For Women, Diets and Weight Loss, Women's Studies

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