Working mothers who play multiple roles in life could be healthier than women who had been homemakers for all or most of their lives and had not held a job.
Researchers led by Anne McMunn at University College London studied 1,200 women of up to age 54 and found that some 23 percent working mothers with steady relationships were obese compared to 38 percent among the long-term homemakers, BBC News reported.
The researchers assessed women's health at 26 and at 54 using a questionnaire, while details were taken about employment history, marital status, and whether they had children, for every decade from their mid-20s.
Their weight and height were also measured at regular intervals.
The study found that by the age of 54, women who had been partners, parents and employees were significantly less likely to report ill health than women who did not fulfil all three roles.
Women who had stayed at home were likely to have gained weight because they exercised less and ate more, perhaps from making home-cooked dinners and eating their children's leftover food.
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