The Health Care Provider's Experience With Fathers of Overweight and Obese Children: A Qualitative Analysis

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of health care providers (HCPs) in the outpatient setting as they work with fathers of children who are overweight and obese.

Method: Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used for data collection and analysis. Seven HCPs were interviewed about their experiences.

Results: Two major themes emerged from the experiences of these HCPs: "dad in the back seat" and "paternal resistance."

Discussion: The theme of "dad in the back seat" captured the HCPs' experiences and perceptions of parental roles and related stereotypes with respect to fathers' lack of presence in the health-care setting, family roles that relegate fathers to the back seat in dealing with this issue, and the tendency of fathers to take a passive role and defer to mothers in the management of their child's weight. "Paternal resistance" reflected the perceived tendency of the father to resist the acceptance of his child's weight as a problem and to resist change and even undermine family efforts to make healthier choices.

Conclusion: HCPs' experiences of fathers as having a minimal role in the management of their child's overweight and obesity may lead them to neglect fathers as agents of change with regard to this important issue.

Keywords: Childhood obesity; fathers; health care providers.