Doughy dad bods have become a social media trend and a preferred body type — but new research shows they may come with more health risks than you might think.
The body type could reflect negative health factors that could shape the health of fathers’ kids even before conception, researchers at the University of California at Irvine say, including the risk of obesity and related conditions.
“We found that fathers’ health as an important contributor to children’s health through biological, behavioral and environmental pathways,” Matthew Landry, an assistant professor of population health and disease prevention, explained in a statement regarding a new review.
Approximately 100 million Americans live with obesity, a risk factor for chronic disease and premature death, and more than 250 million people in the U.S. are projected to be overweight or obese by 2050.
However, there is evidence that the negative health impacts of a dad bod can be reversible with healthy lifestyle changes including surgery, the researchers noted.
A healthy diet, exercise and weight loss surgery can improve sperm health and change obesity-related patterns.
Weight loss surgery is often considered a last resort, but the risks of obesity are much greater than the risks of bariatric surgery, according to doctors at Cedars Sinai.
Addressing mental health challenges and stress is also recommended.
While fewer men than women report symptoms of depression and anxiety, nearly one in 10 men say they experience these symptoms, less than half of whom receive any treatment, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America says.
Depression and anxiety are risk factors for obesity, and vice versa, studies have shown.
All of these changes will be crucial after the child is born, as well.
Fathers’ habits can affect their child’s metabolism, disease risk and appetite.
That’s why focusing on health before fathers become parents is crucial, the researchers say. That would include expanded support for fathers’ mental health, more flexible workplace policies and more inclusive prenatal care programs.
Often, maternal health has been the focus for childhood obesity. Researchers say a mothers’ body mass index – a measurement doctors used to diagnose obesity – is typically a greater influence on childhood obesity than a father’s body mass index.
However, there’s also a strong link identified in fathers with obesity.
Landry added that obesity is 40-70 percent heritable and can be passed across generations.
“Fathers have historically been overlooked in maternal and child health research and intervention efforts,” he said. “Recognizing fathers as active contributors to family health creates new opportunities to improve outcomes for future generations.”
