Father-Led Program Shows Lasting Dietary Improvements in Mexican-Heritage Families

A recent study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, published by Elsevier, shows that a father-focused nutrition and physical activity program significantly improved long-term healthy dietary behaviors among Mexican-heritage fathers living in rural US communities. The 6-week program led to sustained increases in fruit and vegetable intake and healthy behaviors up to 2.5 years after completion.

The program, called ¡Haz Espacio para Papi! (Make Room for Daddy!), was delivered by promotoras (trained community health workers) in Texas border communities. It engaged 59 families with children aged 9–11 and included in-person group sessions, home-based activities, and interactive nutrition education. Fathers were assessed at baseline, after the program, 3–4 months later, and again 2.0–2.5 years later to measure dietary changes and behavior maintenance.

Results showed that participants increased their weekly fruit and vegetable consumption and improved overall dietary behavior scores over time. Fathers with lower education levels saw the greatest gains in vegetable intake, while older fathers tended to consume fewer vegetables than their younger peers.

Lead author of the study Annika Vahk, PhD, Eastern Washington University, Spokane, WA, said, “This study provides important evidence that culturally grounded programs centered on fathers can drive lasting dietary behavior change. Fathers play a vital role in modeling and supporting healthy behaviors in Latino families, and programs like HEPP can help activate that influence.”

The findings point to the importance of culturally relevant, family-centered interventions, particularly those that prioritize familism and build skills together as a unit. Future research should explore expanding the model to include a wider range of family structures and communities.

Notes for editors

The article is "Father-Focused Program Improves Healthy Dietary Behaviors in Mexican-Heritage Fathers Long-Term," by Annika Vahk, PhD; Pablo Monsivais, PhD, MPH; Cassandra M. Johnson, PhD, MSPH; Trey DeJong, PhD; and Joseph R. Sharkey, PhD, MPH (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneb.2025.03.005). It appears in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, volume 57, issue 6 (June 2025), published by Elsevier.

The article is openly available for 90 days at https://www.jneb.org/article/S1499-4046(25)00073-9/fulltext.

Full text of the article is also available to credentialed journalists upon request; contact Eileen Leahy at +1 732 406 1313 or [email protected] to obtain a copy. To schedule an interview with the author(s), please contact Annika Vahk, PhD, Eastern Washington University, at [email protected].

The authors would like to acknowledge that this research was supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture, under award number 2015-68001-23234. This work was also supported in part by the US Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hispanic Serving Institutions Education Grants Program, 2021-77040-34877, Food Security LEADers.

An audio podcast featuring an interview with Annika Vahk, PhD, and other information for journalists are available at https://www.jneb.org/content/media. Excerpts from the podcast may be reproduced by the media with permission from Eileen Leahy.

About the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB)

The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior (JNEB), the official journal of the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior (SNEB), is a refereed, scientific periodical that serves as a resource for all professionals with an interest in nutrition education and dietary/physical activity behaviors. The purpose of JNEB is to document and disseminate original research, emerging issues, and practices relevant to nutrition education and behavior worldwide and to promote healthy, sustainable food choices. It supports the society’s efforts to disseminate innovative nutrition education strategies, and communicate information on food, nutrition, and health issues to students, professionals, policy makers, targeted audiences, and the public.

The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior features articles that provide new insights and useful findings related to nutrition education research, practice, and policy. The content areas of JNEB reflect the diverse interests of health, nutrition, education, Cooperative Extension, and other professionals working in areas related to nutrition education and behavior. As the Society's official journal, JNEB also includes occasional policy statements, issue perspectives, and member communications. www.jneb.org

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