New research has confirmed something experts have long suspected – that a child’s relationship with their parents can have a long-term impact on their wellbeing. But while the nurturing relationship between a mother and child is important, it was actually the interactions between a father and child that had the biggest impact on the youngster’s health even years later. A recent study published in Health Psychology followed families from infancy into early childhood and found that early father-child dynamics were linked to children’s later markers of heart and metabolic health. The findings don’t suggest that dads alone determine a child’s future well-being, but they do highlight how emotionally-attuned parenting can be an important factor. © Getty ImagesResearch suggests a father’s interactions with their children can impact on their health How early father-child interactions may shape long-term health In the study, researchers observed three-way interactions between ten-month-old babies and both parents, then again when the children were two and seven years old. It uncovered a striking pattern that showed fathers who were less attentive and emotionally …