Exploring Partners’ Part in Shaping the Home Food Environment During the Transition to Fatherhood

Chagit Peles, Mary C.J. Rudolf, Danielle Shloim, Netalie Shloim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Objective: To investigate primiparous women’s partners for knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the physical home food environment (PHFE), and to assess if the first pregnancy provides a teachable opportunity to enhance the PHFE of first-time pregnant couples. Design: This was a two-phase longitudinal in-depth qualitative study involving questionnaires and individual interviews during and after pregnancy. Participants: Fifteen male partners of primigravida women. Main outcome measures: Knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors concerning PHFE; lifestyle and dietary habits; and interest in guidance regarding healthy PHFE during the first pregnancy and the transition to parenthood. Analysis involved descriptive statistics and thematic analysis for qualitative data. Results: Key findings include the importance of mutual prenatal PHFE decisions; increased motivation for a healthier PHFE during pregnancy; a desire to provide a healthier environment than their own parents offered, acknowledgement of their wives as ‘nutrition experts’; challenges in accessibility of health foods in the home; and ‘the child eats what we eat’. The first pregnancy was recognized as a critical period for establishing a healthy PHFE. Conclusions and Implications: Expectant fathers have a crucial role in nestrition (nutritional nesting) in first pregnancies. Their engagement is essential in establishing a more supportive nutritional environment in the home and influencing the family nutrition in the long term. There is a need to promote partner involvement, investigate the broader roles of expectant fathers and non-male partners, and develop effective PHFE education for couples in the first pregnancy.

Original languageEnglish
Article number4356
JournalNutrients
Volume16
Issue number24
DOIs
StatePublished - 17 Dec 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 by the authors.

Keywords

  • expectant fathers
  • first pregnancy
  • home food environment
  • human-nesting
  • prenatal nutrition

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