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Mate selection seems to be based to some extent on appearance and physique. Assortative mating suggests that romantic partners select each other based on their similarity in important characteristics. Two studies examined the similarity in physiques of members of romantic couples. Study 1 found that the physical measurements of brides-to-be were positively correlated with those of their fiancés, although the brides were lighter and shorter than their partners. The exception was that brides who lost weight before their wedding initially had body mass indexes (BMIs) very similar to their partners. Study 2 also found similarity in weight and BMI between university couple partners. Partners’ ratings of the participants’ physical attractiveness were higher than participants’ own self-ratings, particularly for females. Romantic couples were thus similar in physique and share the same (inaccurate) view of their partners’ height and weight. These findings support assortative mating and highlight the importance of weight in the partner selection process. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Subgroups of older patients experience difficulty performing activities of daily living (ADL) following hospital discharge, as well as unplanned hospital readmissions and emergency department (ED) presentations. We examine whether these subgroups of "at-risk" older patients benefit more than their counterparts from an evidence-based discharge planning intervention, on the following outcomes: (1) independence in ADL, (2) participation in life roles, (3) unplanned re-hospitalizations, and (4) ED presentations., Trial Design and Methods: This study used data from a randomized control trial involving 400 hospitalized older patients with acute and medical conditions, recruited through 5 sites in Australia. Participants receive either HOME, a patient-centered discharge planning intervention led by an occupational therapist; or a structured in-hospital consultation. HOME uses a collaborative approach for goal setting and includes pre and post-discharge home visits as well as telephone follow-up. Characteristics associated with higher risks of adverse outcomes were recorded and at-risk subgroups were created (mild cognitive impairment, walking difficulty, comorbidity, living alone and no support from family). Independence in ADL and participation in life roles were assessed with validated questionnaires. The number of unplanned re-hospitalizations and ED presentations were extracted from medical files. Linear regression models were conducted to detect variation in response to the intervention at 3-months, according to patients' characteristics., Results: Analyses revealed significant interaction effects for intervention by cognitive status for unplanned re-hospitalization (p = 0.003) and ED presentations (p = 0.021) at 3 months. Within the at-risk subgroup of mild cognitively impaired, the HOME intervention significantly reduced unplanned hospitalizations (p = 0.027), but the effect did not reach significance in ED visits. While the effect of HOME differed according to support received from family for participation in life roles (p = 0.019), the participation observed in HOME patients with no support was not significantly improved., Conclusions: Findings show that hospitalized older adults with mild cognitive impairment benefit from the HOME intervention, which involves preparation and post-discharge support in the environment, to reduce unplanned re-hospitalizations. Improved discharge outcomes in this at-risk subgroup following an occupational therapist-led intervention may enable best care delivery as patients transition from hospital to home., Trial Registration: The trial was registered before commencement (ACTRN12611000615987).