In some offbeat weight-related news, homeowners on average weigh 12 pounds more than renters do, says a new study conducted by University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School assistant professor of real estate Grace Wong Bucchianeri.

Female homeowners experienced more aggravation and have less time available for leisure activities or exercise, the study of 600 women found.

"On the other hand, they consistently report a higher level of pain — or what you might call negative feelings — connected to their home, and that's after controlling for all kinds of demographic characteristics, their financial situation, how many children they have and so on," Bucchianeri told the Canwest News.

The findings present a chicken-or-the-egg question for social scientists, who are unsure if home ownership causes these patterns or if people prone to less sociability, less interest in leisure activities and higher stress are simply more attracted to owning homes.

While we "tend to think of homeowners as social animals," Bucchianeri suggests they may actually be introverts who are naturally inclined to lay down roots.

Source Canwest News Service

Labels: weight gain