But researchers doing a survey of kids eating habits were surprised to find that dad plays a major role.
The survey found that fathers often spend time eating out with their kids, whether at fast food places or standard restaurants.
The kids reviewed were young teenagers, and the study also found that mothers who considered work more important than parenting had kids who frequented fast food outlets.
But the unexpected finding was the influence on eating habits of men in the family. What became clear within this study is that both parents can have an influence and that they are role models for their kids.
The researchers did not look at how many calories kids ate or whether they were obese or overweight.
