Fatherhood leads to weight gain, study reveals
We’ve all heard of the mum tum, but now, according to a study conducted by Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, the post-baby belly also affects dad!
The study, which was published in the American Journal of Men’s Health, tracked over 10,000 men over 20 years and found that fatherhood did result in weight gain, with men who did not become fathers during this period actually losing weight.
The study’s lead author, Dr. Craig Garfield, said of the findings:
“You have new responsibilities when you have your kids and may not have time to take care of yourself the way you once did in terms of exercise,” “Your family becomes the priority.”
The findings also showed that weight gain was subject to the father living or not living with his child. For dads that did live with their child, their BMIs increased by an average 2.6 percent, resulting in 4 and a half pound weight gain. Fathers who did not live with their children saw an increase in their BMIs of two percent, and a 3.3 pound weight gain.
Dr. Garfield went on to add: “We now realize the transition to fatherhood is an important developmental life stage for men’s health.”