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Introduction: Emerging literature links fatherhood to men’s health but lacks comprehensive investigation of associations with cardiovascular health (CVH). Hypothesis: Fatherhood will be associated with total CVH and individual CVH metrics. Methods: We included men from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study, a prospective cohort study which enrolled Black and White individuals aged 18-30 years at baseline (1985-86). CVH was defined using the American Heart Association's Life’s Essential 8 (LE8) scores (0-100) and was calculated at the year 20 follow-up examination to most accurately classify men’s fatherhood status. Multivariable linear regression tested for difference in total CVH and CVH metrics by fatherhood status (father vs non-father vs stepfather models adjusted for age, race, marital status, education, having a primary care clinician, income, current alcohol consumption this association was not found for Black fathers (Figure 1). In adjusted models, stepfathers had worse BMI scores than non-fathers (least squares mean 51.1 vs 64.3, p<0.01), but otherwise there was no difference in total CVH or CVH metrics between non-fathers, fathers, stepfathers, or men living with or without children. Conclusion: Fatherhood is a social determinant of health and understanding its influence may provide opportunities to improve men’s health, particularly among men who become fathers at young ages.
Parker et al. (Tue,) studied this question.