Study finds men who become fathers have worse heart health
It has been thought that fathers have less of a negative impact on their health than mothers who give birth or breastfeed, but previous studies have shown that fathers may experience
Fatherhood and Cardiovascular Health, Disease and Mortality: Associations from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis - ScienceDirect
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S277306542400049X
Fatherhood Poses a Serious Hidden Health Risk Other Men Don't Face: ScienceAlert
https://www.sciencealert.com/fatherhood-poses-a-serious-hidden-health-risk-other-men-dont-face
'We often focus on the health of mothers and children and don't think about fathers, but fathers' health has a profound impact on families,' says John James Parker, M.D., of Northwestern University Medicine.
To examine the less-studied health effects of fatherhood and racial and ethnic differences in these effects, Parker and his colleagues analyzed data from 2,814 men ages 45 to 84 who were followed for up to 18 years.
The average age of the men was 62.2 years, and 82% were fathers. 24% were black, 13% were Chinese, 22% were Hispanic, and 41% were white. The average age of fathers at the time of the birth of their first child was 27.6 years, but this age varied significantly by race: 25.8 years for blacks, 30.7 years for Chinese, 26.6 years for Hispanics, and 28.3 years for whites.
Heart health was assessed through a combination of self-reported information about diet, exercise and smoking habits, as well as measurements of BMI, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
The analysis found that men who had become fathers, especially those who became fathers under the age of 25, were more likely to have poorer heart health, and the problem was more severe for black and Hispanic men.
A variety of factors are thought to contribute to the poor heart health of men who become fathers, including the financial instability of young fathers, which makes it difficult for them to take time off work.
'These results do not prove a direct causal relationship, and although the differences in health between the groups were statistically significant, the absolute differences were not that large. However, the research team points out that heart disease is the number one cause of death for American men, and is the second leading cause of death for
As Parker points out, a father's health not only impacts him, but his family as well: 'We need to study fathers as a special group and monitor the health of men who become fathers, because we can change many of the behavioral and environmental factors that impact their health, and heart health is particularly important,' he said.
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