New fathers can pile on the pounds too

IT’S NOT just women who should worry about their weight after giving birth.

New fathers pile on the pounds as well, according to a study published in the American Journal of Men’s Health.

Researchers who tracked the weight of more than 10,000 men found that the typical six foot tall man who lives with his kids gain an average of 4.4 pounds after becoming a dad.

Meanwhile six foot tall dads who didn’t live with their children gained 3.3 pounds – meaning that finishing off their kids’ leftovers could be to blame.

But the average six foot tall man with no children actually lost 1.4 pounds over the same time period.

Lead author Professor Craig Garfield, from Northwestern University, said: “Fatherhood can affect the health of young men, above the already known effect of marriage.

“The more weight the fathers gain and the higher their BMI, the greater risk they have for developing heart disease as well as diabetes and cancer.”