Hi there, Daddies! As I’m sure you can tell from the title, this blog has a focus on your Mama counterparts. However, since today is Father’s Day and June is Men’s Health Month, I figured a Dad-specific article was in order.
I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how much of an influence Dads play in their kids’ lives. Â But just in case you weren’t sure, having an involved father (whether under the same roof or not) has shown many benefits:
- Higher grades and test scores
- Fewer mental health problems and less trouble with the law
- Improved social skills
- Greater career success (if Dads are involved with their kids school work, it increases the chance of their child graduating from high school and attending a vocational school or college)
- Better communication skills
Fathers also play an important role, nutritionally speaking. Â There was a recent article from the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics showing positive relationships between a father’s body mass index, diet quality, and activity level and that of their children. Â “Diet quality” analyzed the healthful foods (fruits, vegetables, dairy, whole grains, and lean protein, among additional more specific categories) versus foods with empty calories (added sugar, solid fats, and alcohol). Â The “positive relationship” means that if a father was overweight, their child was likely to be heavy as well. Â The more healthy foods the father ate, the more healthfully the child ate, and the more active children had fathers who were more active as well.
When “Kid-Friendly” Food Might Not Be
Another study from 2011Â noted a positive relationship between fathers’ intakes of fruit, cookies, and potato chips and their kids’ consumption of these foods. Â Â Interestingly, there wasn’t a significant relationship between father-and-kid intake of vegetables, ice cream, or fries.
Healthy Eating is as Easy as 1-2-3!
Bottom line is: no matter how close or far you live from your kids, they will only benefit from your involvement in their lives. Â Socially, mentally, and as we’ve learned today: physically and nutritionally! Â So, enjoy your day, Dads! Â And don’t forget to get outside for a nice game of Wiffle ball, rounded out with a healthy lunch!
A note to Fathers (and other non-Mama caregivers):
RDN Mama focuses a lot on mothers, as they are the traditional shoppers and cooks in the families; however, RDN Mama completely supports and encourages non-traditional parental roles! Â Please feel free to use the Healthy Family Section (and even show your Mama-counter parts the other sections of the site that you might not get use out of, like Pregnancy or Breastfeeding). Â You do so much for your kids and for us! Â Thanks, Dads!