Father’s Day is here and for many dads across the U.S. that means handwritten cards, BBQ dinners, and playing tag outdoors with the kids. While there are many reasons to celebrate dad this June—and every month—we’d like to share three big reasons why health conscious dads deserve an extra hug on Father’s Day.
- Health conscious dads = health conscious kids
Research indicates fathers with healthy habits instill those same behaviors in their kids. One study followed 93 fathers—half of whom increased physical activity with their children—for 3 months. The fathers who increased activity lost an average of 10 pounds compared to very little change in the control group. Also children with fathers who are physically active with them in the early years have a 30% lower risk of reaching unhealthy weights by age 4. And preliminary studies indicate that men who take care of their health before becoming fathers reduce the risk of passing on metabolic disease to their offspring.
Whether it’s tossing around the football, opting for greens before ice cream, or simply going for an evening stroll, fathers can teach healthy habits through the examples they set for their children. The evidence is clear that when dads are healthy, their children are more likely to be healthy as well.
2. Health conscious living can instill a healthy work ethic
As stated above, children learn by example and if they see you spending your weekends on the couch eating processed foods, the chances of them adopting those habits increases substantially. However, if they see you doing the hard work that it takes to maintain a health conscious lifestyle—exercising, adopting healthy eating habits, managing health conditions—then they are likely to put in the work for themselves.
The rewards reaped from putting in hard work in sports can easily translate to other areas of life. Whether it’s competing in the spelling bee, learning an instrument, or even opening a lemonade stand, kids can apply the valuable skills of research, goal-setting, and perseverance—often learned through physical activity and competitive sports—to garner success in a variety of arenas.
3. Health conscious living can help protect your family in the face of the unexpected
Living a healthy lifestyle often ensures you’ll be around to provide for your family for a long time. However, in the event of an unexpected death, your healthy lifestyle could still secure your family’s financial future. That’s because people who live healthy lifestyles often qualify for more life insurance at a lower premium. The general recommendation for coverage is usually 7-10x more than your annual income—but of course that number can depend on a variety of other factors.
Eating well and exercising is often like an insurance policy for your health. However in the case of accidental death or illness, a life insurance policy could be a lifesaver for your family’s finances and reduce the amount of unnecessary suffering during the grieving process.
So this Father’s Day, we at Health IQ raise a glass to all the health conscious dads out there who are doing the hard work to maintain a healthy lifestyle, teach their kids valuable life lessons, and ensure the security of their family’s future.
Want to get started on protecting your family’s financial future? Check out our special rate life insurance products today.
