About Fathers & Families
This study aims to offer insights into fathers' roles in obesity prevention by examining their parenting practices related to food, physical activity, and sleep.
The findings will inform the timing, intensity, and content of preconception care and family-based interventions.
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Why fathers?
Substantial research has shown that parents are the primary influence on young children's weight-related behaviors, including diet, physical activity, media use, and sleep.
However, research in this area has focused almost exclusively on mothers; less than 10% of studies on parenting and childhood obesity published since 2009 include any results for fathers.
We know very little about modern-day fathers' weight-related parenting and its implications for children's behaviors and outcomes, and we know even less about fathers of color (i.e., fathers who do not identify as non-Hispanic white).
Early life experiences include fathers' own diet and physical activity behaviors across the life course and childhood experiences, such as family meals.
1000
Fathers and children (i.e., 1000 pairs) and their co-parents are invited to participate.
Fathers & Family Study
Who is in the study?
Fathers and children and their co-parents are invited to participate in the study. They completed a 30-minute online survey once each year for up to 4 years. The survey includes questions about their health and health behaviors (diet, physical activity, sleep) , parenting, their child's health and behaviors, and demographic information for their family.
- mental health
- adverse childhood experiences
- everyday discrimination
- engagement in pediatric care
- vaccination behaviors
What are we looking to find?
What parenting strategies do fathers use to support healthy diet, physical activity and sleep behaviors in their children?听
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Do fathers and their co-parents use similar parenting strategies?
Do children鈥檚 age, temperament and weight status affect fathers鈥� food, physical activity and sleep parenting practices?
For example, do fathers use different strategies when their child is 2-years-old versus 5-years-old?
What are the links between fathers' parenting practices and children's diet, physical activity and body mass index (BMI)?
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What are the combined and independent effects of fathers' and co-parents' parenting strategies on children鈥檚 health outcomes?
For example: child age, child temperament, parent work hours, etc.
This information will guide the timing, intensity and content of preconception care and family-based obesity prevention interventions.
Transformative Health Research in Vibrant Communities
Principal Investigator:听Kirsten Davison, PhD
