Fathers and Child Health Behaviors: Assessing Father Engagement, Early Childhood Diet, and Screen Time in a National Sample of US Children

Citation

Hopper, Lorenzo N.,; Shanahan, Meghan; Vines, Anissa I.; Daniels, Julie; Zvara, Bharathi; & Hussey, Jon M. (2021). Fathers and Child Health Behaviors: Assessing Father Engagement, Early Childhood Diet, and Screen Time in a National Sample of US Children. HPHR, 36.

Abstract

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. The 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.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.54111/0001/JJ5

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year Published

2021

Journal Title

HPHR

Author(s)

Hopper, Lorenzo N.,
Shanahan, Meghan
Vines, Anissa I.
Daniels, Julie
Zvara, Bharathi
Hussey, Jon M.

Article Type

Regular

Data Set/Study

Early Childhood Longitudinal Study – Birth Cohort (ECLS-B)

Continent/Country

United States

State

Nonspecific

Race/Ethnicity

White
Black
Hispanic
Asian

ORCiD

Hussey - 0000-0003-1799-9845