The association between father involvement in caregiving and early childhood overweight or obesity

Effectiveness of a Social-Media-Based Diet and Physical Activity Programme for Fathers in Japan: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Provision of healthy lifestyle support for fathers can improve the lifestyles and health awareness of not only fathers but also their children and families. Few studies have examined the effectiveness of education targeting healthy fathers provided via social media. Hence, we aimed to clarify the effects of providing fathers with information on healthy lifestyle habits via social media on their awareness and behaviours regarding diet, physical activity, and healthcare, in addition to such a programme's indirect effects on their children. This randomised controlled trial included 73 fathers of primary school children in Japan. The intervention group received information on 'healthy lifestyle', 'lifestyle-related diseases', 'healthy diet', and 'healthy physical activity' via social media six times every 2 weeks. Data were collected before, 3 months after, and 4 months after the intervention. The intervention was effective in improving some awareness regarding diet, physical activity, and healthcare. In addition, the fathers in the intervention group demonstrated significantly improved interest in their child's diet and exercise habits. Social-media-based diet and physical activity programmes for fathers improved their awareness and behaviour. Therefore, social-media-based health education programmes can be an important tool for increasing fathers' interest in their own health and in their children's lifestyles.

Fathers Nutrition Knowledge and Child Feeding Practices Associated with Childhood Overweight and Obesity: A Scoping Review of Literature From 2000 to 2023

Objective. Childhood overweight/obesity is a serious global public health issue, demanding parental involvement to reverse trends. Despite fathers' crucial parenting roles, research on fathers and childhood overweight/obesity is limited. This scoping review examines the literature on fathers' nutrition knowledge and feeding practices with childhood overweight/obesity. Methods. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, and Arksey and O'Malley (2005) framework, multiple databases were searched. Eligible father-child related studies focused on fathers' nutrition knowledge, feeding practices, and childhood overweight/obesity. Results. Of 26 eligible articles, 52% originated from the United States, and 44% focused on father-child dyads. Most studies were cross-sectional (64%) and survey-based (68%). Further, 11.5% assessed fathers' nutrition knowledge, and child feeding practices (53.4%). Conclusion. Literature on fathers' nutrition knowledge and feeding practices concerning childhood overweight/obesity is limited. Scaling-up fathers' inclusion in childhood nutrition research is encouraged for the design of holistic interventions.

Early childhood (1-5 years) obesity prevention: A systematic review of family-based multicomponent behavioral interventions

INTRODUCTION

Globally 38.9 million children under age 5 have overweight or obesity, leading to type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular complications, depression, and poor educational outcomes. Obesity is difficult to reverse and lifestyle behaviors (healthy or unhealthy) can persist from 1.5 years of age. Targeting caregivers to help address modifiable behaviors may offer a viable solution.

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate the impact of multicomponent family interventions on weight-based outcomes in early childhood and explore related secondary behavior outcomes.

METHODS

Four databases were searched (1/2017-6/2022) for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of obesity-prevention interventions for children (1-5 years). Eligible studies included an objectively measured weight-based outcome, family interventions targeting the caregiver or family, and interventions including at least two behavioral components of nutrition, physical activity, or sleep.

RESULTS

Eleven interventions were identified consisting of four delivery modes: self-guided (n = 3), face-to-face group instruction (n = 3), face-to-face home visits (n = 2), and multiple levels of influence (n = 3). The reviewed studies reported almost no significant effects on child weight-based outcomes. Only two studies (one was an underpowered pilot study) resulted in significant positive child weight-management outcomes. Seven of the interventions significantly improved children's dietary intake.

CONCLUSION

Except for one, the reviewed studies reported that family based interventions had no significant effects on child weight-based outcomes. Future studies of this type should include measurements of age and sex-based body mass index (BMI) and trajectories, and also examine other important benefits to the children and families.

Japanese fathers' work-related factors associated with involvement in childcare

OBJECTIVES

Existing studies of fathers' involvement in childcare have focused on its impact on children's psychosocial development and the facilitation of family functions, like marital relationships. In this study, we investigated the factors that determine paternal childcare in Japan, particularly focusing on work-related hours and environment, separately, according to mothers' employment status.

METHODS

We used data from the Longitudinal Survey of Newborns in the 21st Century (2010 cohort) conducted in Japan. We restricted the sample to 27 783 participants with working fathers and analyzed how paternal work-related factors affect fathers' childcare involvement by mothers' employment status using an ordered logistic regression model.

RESULTS

In the model adjusting for all covariates, the odds ratio (OR) of spending less time with children on weekdays was higher: for fathers who worked 50 and more hours per week compared with those who worked 40-49 hours per week (OR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.72-2.20 for 50-59 hours), for fathers whose commuting hours were longer than those commuting less than 0.5 hours per day (OR = 2.93, 95% CI: 2.34-3.69 for 1.5 or more hours), for larger workplace employee sizes than for 5-99 employee sizes (OR = 1.56, 95% CI: 1.38-1.77 for 500 or more employees). The associations between these paternal work-related variables and paternal hours spent with the children on weekdays were almost the same if the mothers were working or not working.

CONCLUSIONS

Regardless of whether the mother is working, fathers' work environment factors, such as working hours, play a key role in their involvement in childcare.

Experiences of childhood weight management among Norwegian fathers of children with overweight or obesity - a qualitative interview study

OBJECTIVE

Paternal participation and experiences in childhood weight management is an understudied studied area. Given the important role fathers play in childhood obesity prevention and treatment, the aim of this study was to explore Norwegian fathers' experiences of helping to prevent further weight gain in their children with overweight or obesity.

METHODS

Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with eight fathers of ten children with overweight or obesity and analysed by qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

The analysis resulted in one overall theme: Balancing between assuming and avoiding responsibility for weight management with a desire to preserve the child's dignity, comprising two themes: 1) Alternating between concern, helplessness and responsibility, 2) Needing acknowledgement, and flexible and tailored professional support, both of which have several sub-themes.

CONCLUSION

Fathers need guidance on how to talk to their children to prevent further weight gain, while at the same time emphasizing safeguarding the child's dignity. Healthcare professionals should address parents' own emotional barriers and include fathers to a greater extent as a resource in family-centred counselling and tailor guidance and support to help with childhood weight management.

Associations between Paternal Co-residence and Child Health among African American Children

We investigated the associations between paternal co-residence and asthma, obesity, and blood pressure among children aged 3-5 years. Mother/child dyads (N = 250) self-identified as African American or Black. Mothers reported on father's co-residence and child's asthma diagnosis. Height, weight, and blood pressure were measured. Regression models were used to examine paternal co-residence with child health outcomes (i.e., asthma, obesity, and blood pressure). Confounders included maternal and child age, child sex, maternal smoking, and insurance status. Children who lived with their fathers were less likely to have asthma (OR = 0.39, 95% CI 0.18-0.79), though this association was not significant after adjustment for confounders (aOR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.22-1.01). Paternal co-residence was not significantly associated with child obesity (aOR = 0.78, 95% CI 0.35-1.73), systolic (β = 0.57, SE = 1.2, p = .64), or diastolic (β = 1.91, SE = 1.0, p = .07) blood pressure. More research is necessary to understand the diversity of family living situations and how they affect child health.

Struggling with overweight or obesity in children - fathers' perceptions and experiences of contributing factors, role and responsibility

PURPOSE

The family environment is crucial in the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity; however, there is a lack of knowledge concerning paternal perceptions and experiences in childhood weight management. The aim of this study was to explore (i) perceptions of contributing factors to childhood overweight and obesity among fathers of children with overweight or obesity and (ii) the fathers' experiences of their parental role caring for a child with overweight or obesity.

METHOD

A qualitative content analysis was conducted of data from semi-structured in-depth interviews with eight Norwegian fathers of ten children and adolescents with overweight or obesity.

RESULTS

The analysis identified one overall theme; Feeling uncertain and struggling to understand their own responsibility for the child's overweight or obesity, which consists of two themes; 1)Trying hard to figure out the child's obesity as a complex interaction of factors and 2)Family functioning-negotiating roles and responsibility in parenthood.

CONCLUSION

Fathers must be met with understanding about their uncertainty and their struggle to understand their individual responsibility for their child's weight excess. It can be necessary to address the significance of family functioning, collaboration, responsibility within the familiy in addition to structural responsibility in clinical dialogues and counselling in order to help with weight management.

Maternal long working hours and offspring's weight-related outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis

It is unclear whether maternal working time has an impact on offspring's weight-related outcomes especially obesity; the objective of this study is to conduct the first meta-analysis to focus on this topic. We searched PubMed, Ovid, and Web of Science databases through August 2021. A random-effect model was used to assess the pooled odds ratios (ORs) and regression coefficients (β) with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Subgroup analyses were conducted to explore sources of heterogeneity. Publication bias was evaluated by the Egger's tests. Twenty-two observational studies were included with a total of 191,420 participants. Compared with children whose mothers worked less than 35 h/week, we found that children whose mothers worked more than 35 to 40 h/week had a 2.24-fold increased risk of childhood overweight/obesity (OR = 2.24, 95% CI: 1.61-3.11). An increment of 10 h/week in maternal working was associated with an approximately 1.0 percentage points in the probability of childhood overweight/obesity (β = 0.008, 95% CI: 0.004-0.012). The pooled OR also indicated a similar result (OR = 1.09, 95% CI: 1.04-1.15). In addition, an increment of 10 h/week in maternal working was associated with 0.029 units increase in offspring's BMI z score (β = 0.029, 95% CI: 0.016-0.042). Maternal long working hours is a potential risk factor for offspring's weight-related outcomes. Measures should be taken to protect the work welfare of females, thus facilitating the positive interaction of individual-family-society.

Paternal childcare in early childhood and problematic behavior in children: a population-based prospective study in Japan

BACKGROUND

There have been numerous reports on the effects of paternal childcare on children's behavioral development. However, little is known about these effects in Asian countries such as Japan, where fathers do not have sufficient time for childcare due to long working hours. This study explored the association between paternal childcare during toddlerhood in terms of childcare hours and the type of caregiving behavior and subsequent behavioral problems in children aged 5.5 years, stratified by sex.

METHODS

We analyzed data from the Longitudinal Survey of Newborns in the twenty-first Century (2001-2006), a population-based cohort survey in Japan (N = 27,870). Paternal childcare was assessed at 18 months in terms of paternal childcare hours on weekdays or weekends and the frequency of each type of childcare (feeding, changing diapers, bathing, putting the child to sleep, playing with the child at home, and taking the child outside). Based on the frequency or lack of paternal involvement, six categories of child behavioral problems were assessed when the children were 5.5 years old. Logistic regression analysis was applied to account for the known confounding variables.

RESULTS

Longer paternal childcare hours, on both weekdays and weekends in toddlerhood, had a protective effect on behavioral problems at 5.5 years of age. The dose-effect relationships were found between the frequency of fathers taking their children outside and behavioral problems in boys, and the frequency of fathers playing with their children at home and behavioral problems in both boys and girls.

CONCLUSIONS

Paternal childcare during toddlerhood could prevent subsequent behavioral problems in children. Several specific paternal caregiving behaviors, such as taking their children outside and playing with them at home, may play an important role in preventing subsequent behavioral problems.

Father involvement in the care of children born small and sick in Rwanda: Association with children's nutrition and development

BACKGROUND

Little is known about father's involvement in the care of children born with perinatal risk factors. This study aimed to understand father's involvement in the care of children born preterm, low birth weight (LBW) and/or with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) in rural Rwanda and assess child and home environment factors associated with father involvement.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of children born preterm, LBW or with HIE who were discharged from Kirehe District Hospital neonatal unit from May 2015 to April 2016 and those enrolled in a neonatal unit follow-up programme from May 2016 to November 2017. Interviews were conducted when the children were ages 24-47 months in the child's home. Primary caregivers reported on father involvement in parenting, home environment, child disability, and child development outcomes. Children's nutritional status were directly measured. Only children whose fathers were living in the home were included in the sample. Bivariate analyses were conducted using Fisher's exact test and Wilcoxon Rank Sum test.

RESULTS

A total of 236 children aged 24-47 months were included in this study, 66.4% were born preterm or LBW with a mean age of 33.3 months. 73.5% of children were at risk of disability and 77.7% had potential delay in overall child development. 15.5% of fathers reported engaging in four or more activities with their child in the last 3 days. Factors associated with father involvement included smaller household size (p = 0.004), mother engaged in decision-making (p = 0.027), being on-track in developmental milestones for problem solving (p = 0.042) and mother's involvement in learning activities (p = 0.043); the number of activities a father engaged in was significantly associated with the child's overall development (p = 0.032).

CONCLUSION

We found that father involvement in activities to support learning was low amongst children born preterm/LBW and/or with HIE. Programme interventions should encourage fathers to engage with their children given the benefits for children's development.