The research concerns men who do not live with their children and argues that the resemblance between them and the child encourages them to spend more time with him, as they are convinced that it is biologically theirs.
Newborns who look like their father are healthier in the first year of life, according to new research.
The research concerns men who do not live with their children and argues that the resemblance between them and the child encourages them to spend 2,5 more days on average with infants, as they are convinced that they are biological children.
This more time proves to be beneficial for newborns, as it reduces their potential exposure to risk, increases the attention and care they receive in combination with meeting the financial needs of the child.
The study, entitled "If Appearance Can Cure: Child Health and Parental Investment," suggests that babies who look like their father are less likely to be taken to the emergency room or suffer from asthma attacks due to increased care from their father.
Dr. Solomon Polachek, one of the authors of the study and a research professor at Binghamton University, commented: "Fathers are important for the upbringing of a child and this is reflected in the health of the child. "Fathers who think that their resemblance to the baby is proof of their paternity, spend more time with the baby."
The study analyzed 456 families, in which the newborns lived only with their mothers and looked like their father. This research demonstrates the benefits of raising a child by both parents and the great impact that the father's presence has on all aspects of a child's life.