If You Rarely Get Sick As An Adult, Your Dad Probably Had These 2 Rare Habits When You Were Young
Halfpoint | Shutterstock In a study recently published in Health Psychology, researchers found that if your dad was warm and developmentally supportive when you were young, you are less likely to get sick as an adult.
Much of who we are as adults comes from how our parents raised us when we were growing up. We usually look at a mom's traits and habits and how she impacts her children, but dad's habits are just as important. If you are one of those lucky adults who stay healthy in the midst of cold and flu season without really trying, you probably have your dad to thank for that.
If you rarely get sick as an adult, your dad probably had these 2 rare habits when you were young.:
1. He was warm and loving
A study by researchers at Penn State College of Health and Human Development suggested that fathers who were warm and loving had a positive effect on their children's health. That makes sense. What was truly groundbreaking, however, was that those effects lasted for years after, into adulthood.
"No one will be surprised to learn that treating your children appropriately and with warmth is good for them," explained Hannah Schreier, senior author of the study. "But it might surprise people that a father’s behavior before a baby is old enough to form permanent memories can affect that child’s health when they are in second grade. It is generally understood that family dynamics affect development and mental health, but those dynamics affect physical health as well and play out over years."
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In a similar 2013 study published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a strong biological link was found between negative early-life experiences and poor health later in life, driven by a lack of parental affection. The researchers suggest that toxic childhood stress has a negative effect on stress management later in life, which impacts both physical and mental health.
If dads are warm and loving, they have kids and adult children who are healthy. Dads who struggle with fatherhood and affection, on the other hand, have kids who are more likely to deal with health issues, whether physical or otherwise.
2. He was developmentally supportive
Researchers from Penn State College of Health and Human Development also found that dads who were developmentally supportive of their babies at 10 months of age had more positive co-parenting with the child’s mother when the child was 2 years old. That's years later!
They found that children raised in high-conflict or unstable households, however, could be at greater risk for health problems, including elevated inflammation, lower ability to regulate blood sugar, and obesity.
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"What I hope people will take from this research is that fathers, alongside mothers, have a profound impact on family function that can reverberate through the child’s health years later," explained Alp Aytuglu, postdoctoral scholar in the Department of Biobehavioral Health. "As a society, supporting fathers — and everyone in a child’s household — is an important part of promoting children’s health."
How a dad interacts with and shows up for his baby plays a significant role in their development. Considering fathers have always been seen as a "secondary parent" compared to mothers, this research debunks the belief that dads who only financially support their children are enough; being both physically and emotionally present is far more vital.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
