Study confirms men gain weight when they become dads

/

Men who become fathers experience weight gain and an increase in body mass index. Body mass index is the measurement of body fat based on height and weight. A new large-scale study tracked more than 10,000 men over a 20-year period. Men who didn’t become dads actually lost weight over the same time period. Findings coming from Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and published in American Journal of Men’s Health.

Researchers say study on fatherhood, weight loss and young men’s BMI is the first of its kind. Study author says fatherhood can affect the health of young men. The more weight fathers gain, the higher the BMI. High BMI increases risk for developing heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Weight gain differed for dads who lived with their children (also called “resident dads” vs. those who didn’t. 

First-time resident dads experienced an average 2.6% increase in their BMIs over study period.

  • Translates to a 4.4 pound weight gain for a 6-foot-tall dad who lives with his child
    • Non-resident dads experienced 2 percent increase
  • Translates to a 3.3 pound weight gain for a non-resident dad
    • 6-foot-tall man with no kids lost 1.4 pounds

BMI increase may be the result of lifestyle changes that come along with fatherhood

  • New responsibilities
  • Altered everyday routine
  • Less sleep
  • Irregular diet and eating habits
  • Fewer minutes of exercise

The study began in 1994 where scientists analyzed BMI measurements were taken of 10,253 men at 4 different stages in life ranging between early adolescence and early 30s. BMIs generally do change over time as men as, the increase these men experienced depended on whether they were dads.

Researchers controlled other factors that could account for differences in weight gain such as:

o   Age

o   Race

o   Education

o   Income

o   Daily physical activity

o   Marriage status

Most of these are already known to be tied to weight gain. In this study, BMI difference may see small but researchers write the estimated might be conservative. Findings underscore the need to focus on preventive strategies for new dads especially since a father’s weight can also influence children’s health outcomes. Study concludes that fatherhood is an important developmental life stage for men’s health.