Canadian researchers published the findings in the journal International Social Work.
The study found that married men aged more successfully than their never-married peers.
On the other hand, never-married women aged more successfully than those who experienced divorce or widowhood.
Married women showed no significant differences from never-married women.
Unlike prior studies, the new research used a more comprehensive and inclusive definition of “successful aging.” The definition included physical health, including chronic illnesses and disabilities, and psychological, social and emotional well-being, as well as self-perception of ageing.
Participants who met all of the criteria were classified as ageing successfully.
Researchers analysed data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Ageing, which looks at the health and well-being of adults aged 45 to 85 over 20 years.
The study looked at 7,641 participants who were at least 60 years old during the second wave of data collection from 2015-2018, with these participants categorised based on their marital status, including any changes experienced in this time period.
The researcher found that married men or those who became married during the study were significantly more likely to age successfully compared to never-married men.
Men who transitioned out of marriage through divorce, separation or widowhood were less likely to age successfully, with their outcomes not significantly worse than those of never-married men.
For women, marriage was less predictive of successful ageing.
Married women showed no significant differences from never-married women in the likelihood of ageing successfully.
Women who experienced widowhood or divorce during the study were less likely to age successfully compared to never-married women.
More than 70 per cent of participants were classified as ageing successfully, with the main factors contributing to the success being maintaining social connections, engaging in regular physical activity and avoiding smoking.
Sex-specific differences in marital trajectory affecting outcomes highlighted the importance of considering gendered experiences when addressing ageing-related challenges.
Researchers highlighted that the study has limitations as it relied on self-reported data, which can introduce bias.
The study sample also had disproportionately well-educated participants, which can limit the generalisability of its findings to the broader population.
The researchers are keen to extend the findings by examining longer-term trends and exploring how other factors influence ageing.
Study author and research affiliate of the Institute of Life Course and Aging at the University of Toronto Mabel Ho said: “We would like to continue looking into factors associated with successful aging and how to better support older adults in living and aging well.
“With more waves of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging and other data becoming available, we can study more about how people are doing over time and why some people do well while others do not. The possibilities are endless.”
“After working with older adults living with various health conditions and their families for over 20 years, I realise that encouraging people to engage in an active and healthy lifestyle as early in life as possible is just as important as providing the best care when needed later in life. An age-friendly and supportive society for all will help more of us thrive in later life.”
