Longitudinal changes in lifestyle behaviours and cardiovascular health during the transition to fatherhood: the Dad Bod observational cohort study protocol.

Introduction: Despite the importance of the transition to fatherhood as a critical life stage among young adult men, much remains unknown about the factors predictive of ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) and how CVH is impacted as young men face new roles and responsibilities associated with fatherhood.

Methods And Analysis: To address this gap, the Dad Bod Study is a prospective, longitudinal and observational study designed to examine how fatherhood affects young men's CVH. A total of 125, first-time prospective fathers (men, 19-39 years) will be enrolled and followed over 1.5 years. Metrics of the American Heart Association's 'Life's Essential 8' as well as demographic, social and psychosocial factors will be collected at four time points (baseline (during the pregnant partner's second trimester), 1-month post partum, 6 months post partum and 1 year post partum). The primary aims are to measure predictors of CVH among first-time fathers and describe longitudinal changes in CVH. A secondary aim is to identify the best practices for recruitment, retention and remote data collection in this population.

Ethics And Dissemination: The study was approved by the University of California, Irvine Institutional Review Board (IRB #4907, approved 1 May 2024). Participants will provide written consent. Study data will be disseminated in manuscripts submitted to peer-reviewed journals as well as in abstracts submitted to conferences and in the resulting posters and presentations. After study completion, anonymised data and material will be made publicly available.