Researchers combing through 20 years of data on more than two million people, aged 42 to 77, found that being married significantly reduced the risk of both afflictions.

Their findings were recently published in the medical journal Heart.

The study examined ethnically varied populations in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia.

Compared to married people, the divorced, widowed or never married were 42 percent more likely to develop cardiovascular disease and 16 percent more likely to have coronary heart disease, the study found.

The risk of dying was likewise elevated for the non-married, by 42 percent from coronary heart disease and by 55 percent from stroke.

The results were nearly the same for men and women, except for stroke, to which men were more susceptible.

"These findings may suggest that marital status should be considered in the risk assessment for cardiovascular disease," concluded a team led by Chun Wai Wong, a researcher at Royal Stoke Hospital's department of cardiology, in Stoke-on-Trent in Britain wrote in the journal article.

Four-fifths of all cardiovascular disease can be attributed to a proven set of "risk factors": advanced age, being a man, high-blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, and diabetes, according to the article.

Marriage, in other words, could be an important share of the missing 20 percent.

Because the study was observational rather than based on a controlled experiment—the researchers noted no clear conclusions could be drawn as to cause-and-effect.

That leaves open the question of why marriages may be "protective."

"There are various theories," the researchers said in a statement.

Having someone around to take care of one's health problems and keep track of one's meds is probably a plus, as are two incomes or pensions instead of one.

More intangibly, not living alone is thought to be good for morale, and for neural stimulation. People living in couples, earlier research has shown, also have lower rates of dementia.

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

Good News: TPUSA High School Clubs More Than Double, Hit 2,700 Nationwide

Atheist Bill Maher Condemns Media Silence on Christian Genocide in Nigeria: 'Systematic Killing'

'We Found Him': The Alleged Smoke Bomber Who Disrupted a Sean Feucht Worship Event; His Shocking Links to Antifa Inside Canada's Military

As Deadly Violence against Houses of Worship Rises, So Do Law Enforcement, Security Measures

Portland Police Arrest Conservative Journalist Nick Sortor Outside ICE Facility, 'But None of the Domestic Terrorists'

Apple Takes Down ICE Tracking Apps After Pressure from Bondi DOJ

Kash Patel's FBI Cuts All Ties to Southern Poverty Law Center

The President Is Already Using the Shutdown to Slash Federal Spending, Plans to Make Job Cuts

Israeli Leaders React to Terror Attack on UK Synagogue as Navy Intercepts Pro-Hamas Flotilla

President Trump Sets Sunday Deadline for Hamas to Accept Deal or Face 'ALL HELL'

Hamas Says It Will Release All Remaining Hostages, But...

'Blown Away': Hundreds Saved and Baptized as 8,000 Students Seek Jesus at University of Tennessee

Concerned Citizens Checked Their 'Conservative' Town High School Library for These Obscene Books Available to Students; Here's What Happened

DOJ Investigates Major School District Over DEI Programs

RFK Jr. Directs FDA to Study the Safety of Abortion Pills

Planned Parenthood Closes Houston Abortion Facility That Was Biggest in America

Democrat Prosecutor Sued after Dropping Charges against Woman Who Violently Assaulted Pro-Lifer

Kilmar Abrego Garcia's Final Order of Removal Stands as Judge Denies Motion to Reopen His Case

Gov't Shutdown Continues: White House Releases New Memo Exposing Dems' Demand for Nearly $200 B in Taxpayer-Funded Healthcare for Illegal Immigrants

Watch: Faith Revival Follows Charlie Kirk's Death As More People Attend Church and Read the Bible; 'This Is Bigger Than Charlie Kirk'