Researchers in Ethiopia wanted to see if teaching fathers about good nutrition for babies would help families feed their children better. They worked with 20 mother-father pairs and found something surprising: when fathers learned more about nutrition, they didn’t always help improve what babies ate. The problem wasn’t that dads didn’t care—it was that teaching dads sometimes created disagreements between parents about family roles and money decisions. Moms who received nutrition training started believing dads should help more with childcare, but dads didn’t change their minds as quickly. This mismatch sometimes made things harder instead of easier.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: Whether teaching fathers about child nutrition would help families feed babies better, and what happens inside families when dads get more involved in nutrition decisions
  • Who participated: 40 people (20 mother-father pairs) from rural Ethiopian households. Some families received nutrition training for moms, training for dads, or food vouchers. Other families received no special help.
  • Key finding: Teaching fathers about nutrition increased what they knew, but it didn’t always lead to babies eating better. More surprisingly, it sometimes created tension between parents because moms and dads disagreed about who should do what in the family.
  • What it means for you: If you’re designing nutrition programs that involve fathers, simply teaching them facts isn’t enough. Programs need to help families talk about and agree on new roles and responsibilities. This is especially important in cultures with traditional family structures.

The Research Details

This study was part of a larger research project in rural Ethiopia where some families were randomly chosen to receive different types of help: some got nutrition training for mothers, some for fathers, some got food vouchers, and some got no special help. The researchers then interviewed 20 mother-father pairs separately (40 people total) to understand what each person believed about nutrition, childcare, and who makes decisions in the family. By talking to parents separately, researchers could see if moms and dads agreed with each other or had different views.

The researchers asked detailed questions about how families make decisions about food and money, what roles parents think they should have, and whether the nutrition training changed how they thought about these things. They compared what parents in the training groups said with what parents in the control group (who didn’t get special help) said.

Understanding why a nutrition program works or doesn’t work is just as important as knowing whether it works. By talking to families in detail, researchers could discover the real reasons behind the results. This helps future programs be designed better. It also shows that nutrition isn’t just about facts and food—it’s about family relationships and who has power in the household.

This study was part of a larger, well-designed research project (a randomized controlled trial), which is one of the strongest types of research. However, the study only included 40 people from one region of Ethiopia, so the findings may not apply everywhere. The researchers talked to people separately, which helped them get honest answers. The study was published in a respected journal focused on maternal and child health, which suggests it went through careful review by experts.

What the Results Show

The main finding was unexpected: even though fathers who received nutrition training learned more facts about feeding babies, this knowledge didn’t automatically lead to better feeding practices. The researchers discovered why by listening to what parents said.

Mothers who received nutrition training started to believe that fathers should help more with childcare and household tasks. They adopted more equal views about men’s and women’s roles. However, fathers who received training didn’t change their beliefs as much. They still thought childcare was mainly the mother’s job. This created a mismatch: moms wanted more help from dads, but dads didn’t think they should be doing more.

Interestingly, in families that didn’t receive any training (the control group), parents were more likely to agree with each other—they both believed in traditional roles where mothers handle childcare. Even though these families didn’t get nutrition training, they had less conflict because they shared the same beliefs.

Another surprising finding: when fathers did get more involved in family decisions, they sometimes used their authority to control how money was spent. In some cases, fathers made decisions about spending that didn’t prioritize children’s nutrition, choosing other things the family needed instead.

The study found that education level mattered. In the control group (families without training), fathers who had more education sometimes held more modern views about gender roles than their wives did. This shows that education can change people’s beliefs, but it doesn’t always happen the same way for everyone. The research also revealed that simply giving families food vouchers (without any training) didn’t create the same conflicts as training programs did, suggesting that changing beliefs is what causes family disagreements.

Previous research has shown that involving fathers in child health programs can be helpful. However, most studies only measured whether children got healthier or whether fathers learned facts. This study goes deeper by exploring what happens inside families. It suggests that earlier research may have missed important family dynamics that affect whether programs actually work. The findings align with other research showing that gender roles and family decision-making are crucial for health programs to succeed.

This study only included 40 people from rural Ethiopia, so the results may not apply to other countries or cities. The researchers only talked to families once or a few times, so they couldn’t see how things changed over months or years. The study was part of a larger project, so some information came from that bigger study rather than this specific research. Finally, because the sample was small and from one region, we can’t be completely sure these findings would happen the same way everywhere.

The Bottom Line

If you’re creating nutrition programs that involve fathers: (1) Don’t just teach facts—help families discuss and agree on new roles and responsibilities (moderate confidence); (2) Be aware that changing one parent’s beliefs without changing the other’s can create family conflict (moderate confidence); (3) Consider addressing gender roles and decision-making as part of the program, not just nutrition facts (moderate confidence); (4) Recognize that in some cultures, giving fathers more authority might not help children if it changes spending priorities away from nutrition (moderate confidence).

This research matters most for people who design nutrition programs in developing countries, especially in cultures with traditional gender roles. It’s relevant for health workers, nonprofit organizations, and government programs trying to improve child nutrition. It’s also important for researchers studying how to make health programs work better. Parents and families may find it helpful to understand that nutrition programs work best when everyone in the family agrees on new roles and responsibilities.

Changes in family beliefs and behaviors typically take several months to a year to fully develop. Nutrition improvements in children may take 3-6 months to become noticeable. However, family conflicts about roles and decision-making might appear quickly—within weeks of starting a program.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track weekly family nutrition decisions: Who decided what the baby ate this week? Did both parents agree? Rate agreement level (1-10) and note any disagreements about food choices or spending.
  • Use the app to set up a weekly family nutrition discussion where both parents talk about the child’s meals and agree on goals together. Log these conversations and track whether agreements are being followed.
  • Monitor over 8-12 weeks: (1) Track parental agreement on nutrition decisions; (2) Record who makes spending decisions about food; (3) Note changes in beliefs about parental roles; (4) Document actual foods the child eats. Look for patterns in how family dynamics affect nutrition outcomes.

This research describes findings from a specific study in rural Ethiopia and may not apply to all families or cultures. The study was small (40 people) and focused on understanding family dynamics rather than measuring health outcomes. If you’re considering changes to your family’s nutrition practices or parenting roles, talk with your doctor or a family counselor who knows your specific situation. This research should not replace personalized medical advice from healthcare professionals. Always consult with a pediatrician about your child’s nutrition and feeding practices.