Houston: Women who divorce are 50 per cent more likely to develop heart disease in later life than those who remain married, according to a new report from the University of Texas.

And its not good for those who remarry as they are still likely to suffer from illness.

In the same study men, which looked at 1,000 men and women over a two-year period, were found to be unaffected physically by divorce.

The researchers concluded that the emotional stress triggered a chain reaction of symptoms, including physical and mental problems which raised the risk of cardiovascular disease. Researchers believe the emotional stress of a marriage break-up, along with the

The results demonstrated that women with a marital loss have a higher risk of disease in late-midlife compared to continuously married women, whereas marital loss is not associated with men’s risk.

Women tend to value themselves more in terms of family relationships, whereas men value themselves primarily in terms of their occupation.’

The findings, published in the Journal of Marriage and the Family, showed that 11.6 per cent of divorced women and 10.7 per cent of remarried women had heart disease, compared to 8.7 per cent of those who were continuously married.

At the age of 51, 10.9 per cent of divorcees and 9.8 per cent of remarried women had heart disease, compared to 7.3 per cent of women who remained with their partner.

By the age of 60, 33 per cent of divorced women and 31 per cent of remarried women had cardiovascular problems, compared to just 22 per cent of those who were married and had not suffered a break-up.

Divorce rates have quadrupled since 1970 with around one in four marriages now breaking down.

About half of marriages of twentysomethings end in divorce with the highest rate being among 25 to 39-year-olds, according to the Office for National Statistics.