Longitudinal associations between father– and mother–child interactions, coparenting, and child cardiometabolic health.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the longitudinal connections between early observed parenting and coparenting relationship quality and children’s later cardiometabolic health outcomes. Method: Structural equation modeling was used to examine (a) the associations between fathers’ and mothers’ sensitive engagement with their children and competitive–withdrawn coparenting during infancy (10 months) and toddlerhood (24 months); (b) the extent to which these parenting and coparenting factors predicted four markers of children’s cardiometabolic health in middle childhood (∼7 years); and (c) indirect pathways from parenting and coparenting at 10 months to cardiometabolic markers (C-reactive protein [CRP], interleukin-6, total cholesterol, and glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c]) at 7 years, via parenting and coparenting at 24 months, within a longitudinal, cross-lagged framework. The sample comprised 292 child–father–mother triads from a randomized trial of Family Foundations, a preventive intervention focused on enhancing coparenting interactions between first-time parents. Results: Fathers’ sensitive engagement at 10 months was negatively associated with their competitive–withdrawn coparenting at 24 months, which subsequently predicted lower levels of child CRP and HbA1c. Furthermore, fathers’ competitive–withdrawn coparenting at 24 months explained the association between their sensitive engagement at 10 months and later child CRP and HbA1c. These associations were not significant in a parallel model for mothers. Conclusion: These findings highlight the influence of child–father interactions and coparenting dynamics on long-term child health. Promoting supportive coparenting and positive paternal involvement may represent valuable preventive strategies for reducing child cardiometabolic risk. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved) Early family interactions may have lasting effects on children’s health. In this study, fathers who were more emotionally responsive and engaged with their infants were less likely to subsequently show competitive–withdrawn coparenting—a pattern marked by parents competing for their child’s attention or pulling away from interactions. In turn, fathers’ competitive–withdrawn coparenting was linked to greater levels of inflammation and blood glucose in children several years later. These findings suggest that promoting positive father–infant interactions and reducing coparenting conflict may help support children’s long-term cardiometabolic health. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved) Objetivo: Este estudio tuvo como objetivo examinar las conexiones longitudinales entre la crianza temprana observada y la calidad de la relación de coparentalidad y los resultados de salud cardiometabólicos posteriores de los niños. Métodos: Se utilizó el modelo de ecuaciones estructurales para examinar (a) las asociaciones entre el compromiso sensible de los padres y las madres con sus hijos y la coparentalidad competitiva-retraída durante la infancia (10 meses) y la niñez temprana (24 meses); (b) el grado en que estos factores de crianza y coparentalidad predijeron cuatro marcadores de la salud cardiometabólica de los niños en la niñez media (∼7 años); y (c) vías indirectas de la crianza y coparentalidad a los 10 meses a los marcadores cardiometabólicos (proteína C reactiva [CRP, por sus siglas en inglés], interleucina-6 [IL-6], colesterol total y hemoglobina glucosilada [HbA1c]) a los 7 años, a través de la crianza y coparentalidad a los 24 meses, dentro de un marco longitudinal, de retardo cruzado. La muestra comprendió 292 tríadas niño-padre-madre de un ensayo aleatorio de “Family Foundations,” una intervención preventiva centrada en mejorar las interacciones de coparentalidad entre padres primerizos. Resultados: La participación sensible de los padres a los 10 meses se asoció negativamente con su coparentalidad competitiva-retraída a los 24 meses, lo que posteriormente predijo niveles más bajos de CRP y HbA1c en los niños. Además, la crianza compartida competitiva-retraída de los padres a los 24 meses explicó la asociación entre su participación sensible a los 10 meses y la CRP y la HbA1c posteriores en los niños. Estas asociaciones no fueron significativas en un modelo paralelo para las madres. Conclusión: Estos hallazgos resaltan la influencia de las interacciones padre-hijo y la dinámica de la coparentalidad en la salud infantil a largo plazo. Promover una crianza compartida de apoyo y una participación paterna positiva puede representar estrategias preventivas valiosas para reducir el riesgo cardiometabólico infantil.