A U.S.-based longitudinal study that enrolled blacks and whites aged 18 to 30 at baseline (1985-1986) found that black male fatherhood was associated with lower all-cause mortality by midlife compared with nonfathers. This association was not observed among white fathers in this study. The survey results are American Journal of Public Health.
Although fatherhood is increasingly recognized as a social influence on health, we were surprised to find racial disparities in health outcomes for fathers, particularly in relation to early mortality. Given the possible protective effects of fatherhood for Black men, further research is needed to understand why this is the case. ”
John James Parker, MD, first author, researcher at Lurie Children’s Hospital, pediatrician, and assistant professor of pediatrics and medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
However, men who became fathers before age 25 were more likely to have worse health outcomes. Black men who became fathers early had a higher risk of all-cause mortality in follow-up decades later, while white men who had children at a young age were more likely to have poorer cardiovascular health as they got older.
“Our finding that fatherhood at a young age puts men at risk for poorer long-term health outcomes supports previous research,” Dr. Parker said. “This also highlights an important opportunity to intervene with young fathers, educate them about health-promoting behaviors, and provide them with social support. Ultimately, we need to raise awareness that the health of young fathers impacts the well-being of the entire family.”
The study included 1,648 men with fatherhood data. Cardiovascular health was measured based on the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8 framework. This index consists of four health behaviors (healthy eating, physical activity participation, nicotine avoidance, and healthy sleep) and four health components (healthy weight, blood lipid levels, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure).
In addition to Dr. Parker, Lurie Children’s authors include Craig F. Garfield, MD, MAPP, and Clarissa D. Simon, PhD, MPH, Family & Child Health Innovations Program (FCHIP). The goal of this program is to promote the well-being of children by understanding the role of parents in different family situations and how to enhance their contribution to their children’s health and development.
This research was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health under award number K23HL179465.
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Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago
Reference magazines:
American Journal of Public Health. DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2026.308439
