Washington – A study by Northwestern University physicians noted that men gain an average of 1.5 to 2 kilogrammes after becoming first-time fathers while their single counterparts lose weight over the same time period.
The study published on Wednesday in the American Journal of Men’s Health noted that the authors of the study tracked the weight of more than 10,000 men from adolescence to young adulthood.
“A typical 1.83-metre man who lived with the child gained an average of 1.99 kilos after becoming a first-time dad.
“A father who did not live with the child gained about 1.5 kilos. And men of the same height who did not become fathers actually lost 0.64 kilos,’’ it stated.
Dr Craig Garfield, Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Medical Social Sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said the weight gain was attributed to changes in lifestyle and eating habits.
“You have new responsibilities when you have your kids and may not have time to take care of yourself the way you once did in terms of exercise.
“We all know dads who clean their kids’ plates after every meal.’’
