What dads ate as teens affects their children’s nutrition: study | Health

By Stephen Beech

What dads ate as teenagers plays a key role in the diet of their own children, suggests new research.

Youngsters are more likely to eat recommended amounts of fruit and veg if their father ate a healthier diet during his teen years, according to the study.

While moms usually get most of the attention when it comes to the eating habits of youngsters, researchers say their findings highlight the importance of fathers in shaping a child’s relationship with food.

The American study was based on data from 669 men who answered questionnaires about their eating habits during adolescence and then, years later, provided information about their attitudes and behaviours surrounding their own children’s diet.

Dr. Mariane De Oliveira, of Boston College, said: “Our study found that fathers who ate healthier as teenagers were more likely to encourage positive food habits in their children.

“These fathers were better at modelling healthy eating – actively demonstrating good dietary habits – and monitoring their child’s intake of unhealthy foods, such as certain sweets and snack foods.”

All the study participants had completed at least two dietary questionnaires during adolescence and had children between the ages of one and six years of age in 2021-2022 when they agreed to participate in a follow-up study specifically for fathers.

During adolescence, 44% of the participants were categorized as having poor diet quality, 40% had declining diet quality and 16% had improving diet quality.

In the follow-up study, the research team collected data on the participants’ child’s diet, their own diet, and their approach to monitoring and managing their children’s access to unhealthy foods.

The findings showed that men whose diet quality had improved during adolescence were 90% more likely to model healthy eating when they became fathers and 60% more likely to monitor healthy eating in their children, compared with fathers who had a poor diet in adolescence.

The children of dads whose diet quality had improved during adolescence were also “significantly more likely” to meet dietary recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption compared with children whose fathers had poor or declining diet quality in adolescence.

The team says their findings underline the importance of encouraging healthy eating in all demographic groups, including young people who may one day become parents.

Dr. De Oliveira said: “Healthy eating habits formed during adolescence not only benefit individuals but also shape future parenting behaviors, contributing to better nutrition for the next generation.

“This is especially significant given the growing concerns around childhood obesity and poor dietary habits.”

She added: “Investing in adolescent nutrition, including for boys, can have lasting, intergenerational benefits.”

The researchers noted that more than 90% of the participants were white and over 80% held at least a bachelor’s degree, which may limit the applicability of the findings to other demographic groups.

Dr. De Oliveira presented the findings at Nutrition 2025, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition in Orlando, Florida.