Fathers and child health behaviors: Assessing Resident Father Engagement, Early Childhood Diet, and Screen Time in a National Sample of US Children

Full Description: This proposal is to highlight recent research within the field of MCH by early career researcher Dr. Lorenzo Hopper and colleagues. Through this poster, we hope to highlight the influences that fathers have empirically on child health behaviors and emphasize the need to continue to include fathers in shaping the future of MCH. Findings from the work that will be presented on the poster are highlighted below for the AMCHP reviewers.

The impact of father-child engagement on early childhood obesity risk has not been thoroughly investigated. In response to this gap, relationships between father-child engagement at age 2 years and multiple obesity risk factors at preschool were estimated in 4,500 families belonging to the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study – Birth Cohort (ECLS-B). Early childhood obesity risk factors were prevalent in this US national sample, including weekly fast-food consumption (76%), excess juice (73%) and sugar-sweetened beverage (31%) use, and screen time above national recommendations (26%). Multivariable regression models revealed a mix of positive, negative, and null impacts of father engagement on pre-school obesity risk factors. Father engagement through both caregiving and play decreased juice consumption (Adjusted Relative Risk [aRR] = 0.87; 95% CI: 0.83, 0.98 and aRR = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.79, 0.91, respectively). On the other hand, father engagement in caregiving increased the risk of excess screen time (aRR = 1.06; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.12) and father engagement in play predicted lower fresh fruit consumption (aRR = 1.06; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.23). Finally, engagement through father-child shared breakfast decreased the risk of excess screen time (aRR = 0.95; 95% CI: 0.93, 0.98). These findings suggest that father-child engagement has both positive and negative impacts on early childhood obesity risk factors.

This research is relevant to the AMCHP audience and the conference as we reflect on our efforts to improve MCH outcomes and how the future should emphasize how men are important to child health outcomes. In the parent-focused literature on childhood obesity, relatively little evidence exists on the specific influence of fathers. It is important for obesity prevention programs as well as other MCH efforts to improve MCH focus on family-centered approaches to encourage and engage greater father involvement.

Abbreviated Description: Parents have an early and important influence on childhood obesity risk. However, many areas of maternal and child health fail to include the perspective or influences that fathers and father figures may have on behaviors and health outcomes. This research investigates the impacts of residential father engagement on a number of child health outcomes. In a nationally representative sample, father engagement was protective against three obesity-related health behaviors, predicted higher risk for two, and was not associated with others that were assessed. The mixed findings from this study, like prior ones, also reflect how underdeveloped this line of research is and how strong the need is for additional works that will provide us with actionable evidence on which to base policy.