Dad Bod Really Exists: First Time Fatherhood Packs on Significant Pounds

Apart from feeling a new sense of responsibility and purpose with the birth of a child, first time fathers also tend to often gain 2 to 5 pounds says a new study.

Dr Craig Garfield of Northwestern University, the lead author of the study published Tuesday by the American Journal of Men's Health admitted that he could only make educated guesses on the reasons why men gain weight at this stage of their life.

"For men who become fathers, their whole life changes," Garfield said. They may sleep less, exercise less, and experience more stress - all of which can lead to weight gain", he said.

The choices of food at home also gradually change over the years and the weight gain may also be caused while "making chocolate chip cookies with the kids," said Garfield.

For the study, the scientists tracked the health of adoloscents over a 20 year period. Their focus was on teens and young men, where weight changes among 3400 of these males who became dads were compared with 6800 men who didn't.

For instance, upon becoming a first time dad, a 6 foot man gains 4-5 pounds while a man of the same height who does not live with his child gained around 3 pounds.