A new study reveals that a father’s eating habits during his teenage years can significantly shape his children’s diets, even before they are born.
The research, presented Saturday at the American Society for Nutrition meeting in Orlando, FL, found that men who maintained a healthy diet as teenagers were more likely to promote healthy eating and monitor their children’s food choices.
Lead author Mariane De Oliveira, a postdoctoral research fellow at Boston College, explained, “Our study showed that fathers who ate healthier during their teenage years were more likely to encourage positive food habits in their children.”
“These fathers were better at modeling healthy eating and actively monitoring their children’s intake of unhealthy foods like sugary snacks,” De Oliveira added.
The study involved 669 men who responded to surveys about their teenage eating habits and their children’s diets years later. The participants, who were children of nurses, joined the study in the 1990s and 2000s, filling out at least two diet questionnaires during their teen years.
In 2021 and 2022, the men, now fathers of children aged 1 to 6, were contacted for a follow-up survey. Researchers assessed the participants’ diets using the Healthy Eating Index, a tool that measures healthy eating patterns based on the intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, lean proteins, and limitations on refined grains, sodium, added sugars, and saturated fats.
At the time of the study, about 44% of the men reported poor diets as teenagers, while 40% had diets that declined over the years. However, 16% had improved their eating habits during adolescence.
The study found that those men whose diets improved were 90% more likely to model healthy eating as fathers and 60% more likely to monitor their children’s food intake. As a result, their children were significantly more likely to consume the recommended daily amounts of fruits and vegetables compared to children of fathers with poor diets.
De Oliveira highlighted the importance of the findings, saying, “Healthy eating habits formed during adolescence not only benefit individuals but also influence parenting behaviors, leading to better nutrition for the next generation.”
The study’s conclusions are particularly relevant in light of rising concerns about childhood obesity and poor eating habits. “Investing in adolescent nutrition, especially for boys, can have lasting intergenerational benefits,” she added.
It is important to note that findings presented at medical conferences are preliminary and should be confirmed through peer-reviewed publications.
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