A recent study in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health has found that women who work outside the home tend to be thinner and healthier than stay-at-home moms.

Although the authors found an unambiguous link between work outside the home and good health, they don’t know why this is so. “The next step is to better understand what it is about particular work and family roles that influences people’s health,” they concluded.

Two key points:

1. The women in the study were born in 1946. That’s my mom’s generation when home and career life are quite different than what they are for moms of young children today.

2. “Stay-at-home” has a myriad of definitions. I stay at home but I work my tail off too doing the housework, taking care of Stephen and Marv, AND tapping on the computer at all hours of the day and night whenever I’m able. It’s possible that being at home actually stresses women out more because of the constant barrage of demands which leads to poor eating habits and poor health.

So, yes, I can imagine that women who work outside the home might have better mental health and possibly physical health if it gets them outside being active. In fact, many mothers look forward to their “break” while working in their office outside the home. Still, this study doesn’t convince me that either group of women have it better. From the beginning of time, all women have worked both in and out of the home and all women have had it tough.

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NB: Not to discount our hardworking men either. Life’s just not easy.

I’m having a decent day so far, though…. How about you?