美国人往往要经过长久的等待才最终决定结婚，但周四公布的一项调查研究显示结婚不应该等得太久，幸福的婚姻可能会更偏爱那些在23到27岁间喜结良缘的人。

    目前，美国人首次结婚的平均年龄正慢慢上升，现在女性的首次结婚年龄为26岁，而男性为27岁。

    这项研究调查了许多有关婚姻和离婚的问题，其中包括对于同居生活和抚育孩子的态度。88%的受访者表示婚姻应该是一辈子的承诺。

    德克萨斯大学社会学教授诺费尔·葛兰为美国父权行动协会设计了这项调查，并对调查结果进行分析，该协会提倡婚姻和家庭价值观。

    葛兰说，为了确定婚姻是否幸福和成功，这套调查问卷的答案是根据统计指数来计算的，包括婚姻持续时间和首次结婚年龄。

    他说，研究结果不会让那些将近30岁的未婚者产生恐惧，“那些相对来说更幸福的婚姻可能并不是因为年龄。有些人可能太挑剔、太苛求或者不是特别满意，”他说。

    其他一些研究者担心该项调查的结果会让那些未婚和有结婚打算的人产生恐慌。调查者们在2003年底和2004年初对1503名18岁和18岁以上的男女进行了15分钟的电话调查。

    位于美国巴尔的摩的约翰霍普金斯大学社会学和公共政策教授安德鲁·切尔林说太早或太晚结婚都有较大的离婚风险。但是现在，“人们结婚的时间越来越晚，什么时候结婚才是太晚很难界定，而且在不断变化。”

    “上世纪50年代，28岁结婚就属于晚婚了，但是现在，28岁结婚还不算太晚，就是说即使到28岁还没有结婚，还有很多未婚的人可以选择，”他说。

    Americans are waiting longer to get married, but they shouldn't wait too long: The odds for a happy marriage may favor those who tie the knot between the ages of 23 and 27, says a survey out Thursday.

    The average age at first marriage in the USA has been inching upward; it's now 26 for women and 27 for men.

    The survey asked a variety of questions about marriage and divorce, including attitudes toward cohabitation and raising children. Eighty-eight percent of respondents said marriage should be a lifelong commitment.

    The survey was designed and analyzed by University of Texas sociology professor Norval Glenn for the National Fatherhood Initiative, which advocates marriage and family values.

    To determine marital satisfaction and success, Glenn says, the answers to a series of questions were calculated according to a statistical index, including adjustments for the length of marriages as well as the age at first marriage.

    Findings shouldn't create panic among those approaching 30, he says. "Those marriages turned out better but maybe not because of the age," he says. "Some people may be just too picky or too choosy or not extremely desirable."

    Other researchers worry that the findings, based on a 15-minute national telephone survey of 1,503 men and women ages 18 and older in late 2003 and early 2004, may alarm those unattached and marriage-minded.

    Andrew Cherlin, a professor of sociology and public policy at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, says marrying too young or too old carries a greater risk of divorce. But now, "as people wait longer and longer to marry, the definition of what's too old keeps changing."

    "In the 1950s, 28 was really old to get married. Now it's not so old, which means there are more unmarried people for a 28-year-old to choose from," he says.