Being a single parent is no easy job. It takes years to perfect and stress is a given. However, a recent study we came across stated that apart from just being a 'difficult' job, it might be highly taxing on health and can even lead to an early death. This study, however, solely talks about single fathers as parents. While the likely culprits could be poor lifestyle choices and stress, solo fathers also tend to be older, have higher cancer rates and are more prone to heart disease.
"Our research highlights that single fathers have higher mortality, and demonstrates the need for public health policies to help identify and support these men," said lead author Maria Chiu, researcher of the study at the University of Toronto in Canada. "We did find that single fathers tended to have unhealthier lifestyles, which could include poor diet, lack of exercise, or excessive drinking," Chiu added. The study team found that men parenting on their own are more likely to be separated, divorced or widowed than single mothers, a larger proportion of whom raise babies conceived outside of any relationship.Having experienced a breakup is another risk factor for mental ill health, the researchers said. "These results show that single fathers might be a particularly vulnerable group," said Rachel Simpson, an epidemiologist at the University of Oxford. "Of the world's 2.3 billion children, 14 percent - or 320 million - are living in a single parent household," the report showed. The statistics are shocking, aren't they?
