Fathers’ perceived role, self-efficacy and support needs in promoting positive nutrition and physical activity in the first 2000 days of life: a mixed methods study
Abstract Background The first 2000 days of life are a crucial and opportunistic time to promote positive dietary and physical activity behaviours that can continue throughout life. The bulk of research on the impact of parents promoting positive dietary and physical activity behaviours has been on m...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2024-02-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-024-01575-w |
| _version_ | 1797273147257389056 |
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| author | Mathew Gaynor Karen Wynter Kylie D. Hesketh Penelope Love Rachel Laws |
| author_facet | Mathew Gaynor Karen Wynter Kylie D. Hesketh Penelope Love Rachel Laws |
| author_sort | Mathew Gaynor |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The first 2000 days of life are a crucial and opportunistic time to promote positive dietary and physical activity behaviours that can continue throughout life. The bulk of research on the impact of parents promoting positive dietary and physical activity behaviours has been on mothers, with the impact of fathers rarely investigated. The aim of this study is to investigate fathers’ perceived role, self-efficacy and support needs in promoting positive dietary and physical activity behaviours in early childhood. Methods A sequential explanatory mixed methods study design consisted of a cross sectional survey of Australian fathers (n = 200) from a convenience sample, followed by semi-structured qualitative interviews (n = 21) with a purposeful sample of Australian fathers. Results Quantitative survey data revealed that more than 90.0% of fathers agreed that it is important to role model healthy eating and participating in physical activity with their babies, toddlers and children. A majority of fathers were confident in getting their child to eat fruit/ vegetables (90%) and playing with their child (80%). When searching for information about nutrition and physical activity, the highest proportion of fathers nominated online sources (52%) as their preferred source in survey data. Qualitative interview data revealed that while fathers exhibited high self-efficacy in their abilities, this was susceptible to deterioration due to feelings of isolation, pressures of fatherhood, a lack of information and resources that are father specific, and difficulties navigating the different types of information/resources to find what is right for them. Conclusions Although possessing self-efficacy, being committed and seeking knowledge, many fathers found that useful information was hard to find and understand. Appropriate resources are therefore required to support the specific needs of fathers to promote positive dietary and physical activity behaviours in their infants and young children. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:40:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1430275f8d0f4a49a28475659d352e0a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1479-5868 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T14:40:26Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity |
| spelling | doaj.art-1430275f8d0f4a49a28475659d352e0a2024-03-05T20:23:38ZengBMCInternational Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity1479-58682024-02-0121111310.1186/s12966-024-01575-wFathers’ perceived role, self-efficacy and support needs in promoting positive nutrition and physical activity in the first 2000 days of life: a mixed methods studyMathew Gaynor0Karen Wynter1Kylie D. Hesketh2Penelope Love3Rachel Laws4Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin UniversityCentre for Women’s and Children’s Mental Health, Department of Psychiatry, Monash UniversityInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin UniversityInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin UniversityInstitute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin UniversityAbstract Background The first 2000 days of life are a crucial and opportunistic time to promote positive dietary and physical activity behaviours that can continue throughout life. The bulk of research on the impact of parents promoting positive dietary and physical activity behaviours has been on mothers, with the impact of fathers rarely investigated. The aim of this study is to investigate fathers’ perceived role, self-efficacy and support needs in promoting positive dietary and physical activity behaviours in early childhood. Methods A sequential explanatory mixed methods study design consisted of a cross sectional survey of Australian fathers (n = 200) from a convenience sample, followed by semi-structured qualitative interviews (n = 21) with a purposeful sample of Australian fathers. Results Quantitative survey data revealed that more than 90.0% of fathers agreed that it is important to role model healthy eating and participating in physical activity with their babies, toddlers and children. A majority of fathers were confident in getting their child to eat fruit/ vegetables (90%) and playing with their child (80%). When searching for information about nutrition and physical activity, the highest proportion of fathers nominated online sources (52%) as their preferred source in survey data. Qualitative interview data revealed that while fathers exhibited high self-efficacy in their abilities, this was susceptible to deterioration due to feelings of isolation, pressures of fatherhood, a lack of information and resources that are father specific, and difficulties navigating the different types of information/resources to find what is right for them. Conclusions Although possessing self-efficacy, being committed and seeking knowledge, many fathers found that useful information was hard to find and understand. Appropriate resources are therefore required to support the specific needs of fathers to promote positive dietary and physical activity behaviours in their infants and young children.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-024-01575-wFathersDietPhysical activityEarly childhood |
| spellingShingle | Mathew Gaynor Karen Wynter Kylie D. Hesketh Penelope Love Rachel Laws Fathers’ perceived role, self-efficacy and support needs in promoting positive nutrition and physical activity in the first 2000 days of life: a mixed methods study International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Fathers Diet Physical activity Early childhood |
| title | Fathers’ perceived role, self-efficacy and support needs in promoting positive nutrition and physical activity in the first 2000 days of life: a mixed methods study |
| title_full | Fathers’ perceived role, self-efficacy and support needs in promoting positive nutrition and physical activity in the first 2000 days of life: a mixed methods study |
| title_fullStr | Fathers’ perceived role, self-efficacy and support needs in promoting positive nutrition and physical activity in the first 2000 days of life: a mixed methods study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fathers’ perceived role, self-efficacy and support needs in promoting positive nutrition and physical activity in the first 2000 days of life: a mixed methods study |
| title_short | Fathers’ perceived role, self-efficacy and support needs in promoting positive nutrition and physical activity in the first 2000 days of life: a mixed methods study |
| title_sort | fathers perceived role self efficacy and support needs in promoting positive nutrition and physical activity in the first 2000 days of life a mixed methods study |
| topic | Fathers Diet Physical activity Early childhood |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-024-01575-w |
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