Is a healthy lifestyle related to stress, parenting confidence, and health symptoms among new fathers?

A healthy lifestyle is widely recognized as important in preventing disease and disability. This study examined whether in the transition to fatherhood a healthy lifestyle was related to perceived stress, parenting confidence, and physical health symptoms. Survey data from 87 fathers were examined for relationships between lifestyle, measured by 6 subscales of the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile (HPLP), and perceived stress, parenting confidence, and health symptoms. In general, a healthier lifestyle, especially HPLP self-actualization and stress-management subscales, was related to less perceived stress, more parenting confidence, and fewer health symptoms. Higher HPLP nutrition and exercise scores were related to fewer health symptoms; higher exercise and seeking-interpersonal-support scores were related to higher parenting confidence. Also, higher social desirability scores, a confounding influence, were related to less perceived stress. The authors conclude that health-promotion behaviours may be an important personal resource in maintaining health and promoting well-being among new fathers.