听

Fathers & Families

鈥淔athers have been largely ignored by research. Times have changed. We need to hear from fathers so we can develop strategies that help families successfully promote their children鈥檚 health.鈥澨�PI Kirsten Davison
Contact

fathers.families@bc.edu

Project Summary

Fathers & Families (F&F) is a cohort of over 1200 biological, adoptive, and social fathers, with preschool-aged children (ages 1-6 years), and their co-parents. It is the first large-scale study to provide a comprehensive assessment of the role of fathers in childhood obesity prevention while addressing the limitations of previous research. Fathers鈥� parenting practices targeted toward their children鈥檚 diet, physical activity and sleep behaviors are a focal point of the study.

Research Questions

F&F can address a wide range of research questions about fathering and children鈥檚 health including:

  • What parenting strategies do fathers use to support healthy diet, physical activity and sleep behaviors in their children? Do fathers and their co-parents use similar parenting strategies?
  • Do children鈥檚 age, temperament and weight status affect fathers鈥� food, physical activity and sleep parenting practices? For example, do fathers use different strategies when their child is 2-years-old versus 5-years-old?
  • What are the links between fathers' parenting practices and children's diet, physical activity and body mass index (BMI)?
  • What are the combined and independent effects of fathers' and co-parents' parenting strategies on children鈥檚 health outcomes

F&F also examines contemporary topics such as the role of fathers鈥� in children鈥檚 COVID-19 vaccination and fathers鈥� engagement in their children鈥檚 health care.

Innovation

One of the key innovations