Study shows that dads DO give kids more junk food

If you think back to your own childhood, it was usually dad you let you have ALL the sweets.

Perhaps it’s a bid to win our love, maybe they don’t have the heart to say no, or is it that they aren’t as interested in how healthy the food we consume really is? And these days, plenty of mums reckon that when their backs are turned, their partners are feeding the little ones loads of sugar. Now researchers from Stanford University in the US have looked at this theory in a scientific way. They interviewed 44 families which had at least one teenage son or daughter, taking into consideration their eating habits and whether they would change depending on what parent was in charge at the time. It turns out, in an astonishing 93 percent of cases, both the kids and mum said dad’s food quality standards were low. Researcher, Priya Fielding-Singh, wrote in the San Francisco Chronicle,

“When it came to modeling good eating habits, dad was the “fun” parent. Dad didn’t force Brussels sprouts down anyone’s throat, and children could always count on dad for junk food. As one teenager told me, “If I want some chips or cookies, I’ll ask my dad to get them for me. Then, my mom usually finds out and gets mad.”

Sound familiar? Fielding-Singh also said that many mums wished they could let their little ones rely on their dad more often when it came to meal time, but they worried the meals would be unhealthy and lacking in nutrition. So how is it mamas can read food labels, make sure food has a high nutritional value and get those greens on the plate? Fielding-Singh says,

“Feeding and caring for children’s health is central to motherhood. Moms are continually judged — by themselves and society — by how they feed their families.”

Many dads also believed mum was more of a natural in the kitchen due to her maternal instincts which makes for a greater understanding of a child’s dietary needs. Perhaps it’s time dad didn’t get off the hook so easily anymore… hmm?