The Current Understanding of Fathers Influence on Cardiometabolic Risk Factor Development in Adolescence: A Brief Review

Abstract

The influence that parents and caregivers have on childhood development is understood and validated. Current research is focused on psychological, social, physical, and spiritual health. Though, in recent years, the early development of cardiometabolic diseases has increased among younger individuals at earlier time periods. The full extent behind the rapid development of these diseases remains unclear. Therefore, the specific influence that each parent or guardian potentially has on future cardiometabolic health development in children and adolescence is an area of growing interest. Significant research has been performed to conclude that the mother has a crucial role in proper childhood development. However, there is limited amount of published research that has isolated the specific role that fathers have on future physiological health outcomes in relation to cardiometabolic health. Thus, the focus of this brief literature review was to ascertain the current influence that a paternal parent has on cardiometabolic health development throughout childhood and adolescence. The results of the review are limited to studies focused on physical growth, nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular disease. For many of the studies, the father’s role was assessed as a secondary or tertiary variable, and not as a primary factor or outcome. Based on the scarce amount of literature involving the father’s role in influencing cardiometabolic health outcomes, a clear consensus cannot be fully ascertained, and future research into this area is severely needed.