Research

Adherence

The transition to fatherhood in young men (ages 19-39) is associated with declines in cardiovascular health, specifically through reduced physical activity, increased sedentary behavior, poor diet quality, reduced sleep, and increased body weight.

If you are becoming a father, be aware that your health metrics (weight, sleep, diet, activity) are likely to decline during the first year. Proactively schedule health checks and prioritize basic habits like sleep and movement, as the new role often disrupts these routines.

ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
As men transition into fatherhood and throughout the postpartum period, several undesirable CVH behaviours have been observed. These include declines in physical activity and increased sedentary behaviour, reduced sleep, poor diet quality and increases in body weight.
Matthew J. Landry et al. · BMJ Open · 2024

Why this rating

The paper is a study protocol; it cites prior observational studies for the claim but does not present new primary data.

Source

Longitudinal changes in lifestyle behaviours and cardiovascular health during the transition to fatherhood: the Dad Bod observational cohort study protocol

Matthew J. Landry et al. · BMJ Open · 2024

DOI 10.1136/bmjopen-2024-095200

cohort · n=125Cited 2×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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