Solo dads are doubly likely to die prematurely, says a large new Canadian study.Yet even adjusting the findings to consider these factors, single fathers’ mortality risk over 11 years was more than two times higher than other parents’.
Unhealthy Choices, Unreliable Support
Why the big difference? It’s unclear, though the researchers found that single dads were more likely to lead unhealthy lifestyles. Among other things, they ate fewer fruits and vegetables, and were more likely to engage in binge drinking than partnered parents and single mothers.
The study’s authors also suggest that single dads may be less likely to have social networks, social assistance, and child support, which in turn may cause them greater stress.
Single-parent families are becoming more common worldwide due to increased rates of divorce, separations, and out-of-wedlock childbirth. In 2011, more than 2.6 million families in the United States were headed by single fathers.
Related links: What Single Mothers Can Learn From Four Great Movie Moms