New Study Reveals How a Father’s Diet Can Affect the Health of His Future Children

Much emphasis is placed on a nutrient based diet for mothers-to-be. Perhaps equally important, is the diet of the father preconception.

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It’s a well-known adage that you are what you eat, but could it also be true that you are what Dad ate? New research suggests there is some truth to that. While the importance of a healthy diet for expectant mothers is widely acknowledged, a recent study out of the University of Sydney suggests that a father’s diet can significantly influence the health of his future offspring.

This new information not only underscores the importance of men’s dietary choices for their own well-being but emphasizes that they may have a more substantial role in shaping the well-being of future generations than previously believed.

The recent research shows that the macronutrient balance—the ratio of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in the diet—of male mice affects their children’s physical and mental health, possibly due to changes in the expression of specific genes in the sperm. This emerging field of research highlights the importance of a man’s dietary choices prior to conception. A greater awareness of this correlation is a crucial first step, but how should dads-to-be shape their plates?

How a Father’s Diet Affects Future Offspring

More research and human studies are needed to fully understand the extent of a father’s diet’s effect on his offspring. However, substantial evidence supports the correlation between pre-conception food intake and offspring health outcomes.

The recent study, published in Nature Communications in April, highlighted the proportion of macronutrients male mice consumed and their gender-specific effects on their offspring. The proportion of fat in the male mice’s diet had the greatest effect on female offspring, and the effects of the interaction between carbs and protein were only witnessed in male offspring.

Male mice that consumed a high-fat diet had “larger subcutaneous fat deposits and smaller brown fat deposits.” The percentage of fat in the father’s diet directly correlated to their female offspring’s body fat. The female offspring also exhibited early indicators of metabolic disease, such as Type 2 diabetes. The dietary fats in the study were kept consistent across all groups by maintaining the proportion of saturated fats to the total fat content and keeping the amount of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids at a consistent ratio.

The fathers fed a high-protein diet had female offspring with reduced blood glucose levels. The mice given less protein and more carbs sired more anxious sons who chose to spend their time in the safer, less risky areas of the maze. Of note, the male mice eating a low-protein diet ended up eating more food overall. The new study suggests that the macronutrient composition of a father’s diet is just as important as the total caloric intake, if not more so.

A study from 2022 published in Frontiers in Nutrition found that the offspring of male mice with a higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids prior to conception demonstrated reduced anxiety- and depressive-like behavior, and improved sociability, learning, and memory. A 2016 study published in Scientific Reports found that undernourished male rodents sired offspring with lower birth weight but increased body fat and metabolic issues.

A 2013 study determined that dietary folate affects mouse sperm, concluding, “Paternal folate deficiency is associated with increased birth defects in the offspring, which include craniofacial and musculoskeletal malformations,” as well as gene alterations associated with diabetes and cancer.

An earlier study published in 2006 found that male rats forced to fast from food sired offspring with better blood sugar control.

A 2016 study published in Molecular Metabolism concluded that male mice fed a high-fat diet can affect the metabolic tissues of offspring throughout two generations.

What Is Epigenetics?

In short, epigenetics is nature’s on/off switch. Epigenetics is the study of changes in gene function that occur without a change in the DNA sequence. Dr. Kevin Huffman, chief executive officer and founder of AmBari Nutrition, told The Epoch Times in an email, “DNA is the code of life, but epigenetics is the layer of instruction manuals that tell the cells how to express the genes.”

These changes, influenced by factors such as environment, diet, and lifestyle, can modify the way genes are expressed, turning them on or off, akin to a light switch. This flip can significantly affect an individual’s health and development. Some epigenetic changes can be passed down from one generation to the next, meaning that the lifestyle choices of parents can affect the health of their children and grandchildren.

“You can think of it as changing the dials on a piece of equipment, tweaking how certain genes get expressed in the developing child,” explained Dr. Huffman, who is a doctor of osteopathic medicine and a board-certified bariatric physician. “It is important to maintain a healthy weight and manage your stress level. Obesity is related to poor sperm health, so reaching an ideal healthy weight and staying active can help.

“A father with a diet full of processed foods, saturated fats, and added sugars can make his children more likely to be obese or have metabolic disorders. He can pass along epigenetic changes that could affect how his children’s bodies process nutrients and store fat, making them more susceptible to weight gain and metabolic problems down the road.”

Ultimately, a father’s food choices prior to conception can influence epigenetics, or the turning on or off of genes.

Dietary Suggestions for Fathers-to-Be

So what should future fathers eat to ensure the health of their offspring? Dr. Erik Natkin, an osteopath and medical director of R2 Medical Clinic, provides evidence-based dietary suggestions. He told The Epoch Times in an email: “Diets rich in folate, found in leafy greens, can help in methylation processes that play a significant role in genetic expression. Furthermore, antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables can protect sperm DNA from oxidative stress, potentially reducing the risk of mutations being passed to the next generation.

“Studies show that diets high in processed foods and trans fats can negatively affect sperm quality and might alter gene expression in ways that could be passed on to offspring. In practical terms, this means advising future fathers to include foods like nuts, seeds, fish, and a variety of vegetables and fruits, which are not only good for their own health but may also benefit their future children.”

In addition to a proper diet, a 2018 study published in Diabetes uncovered the effect that a father’s activity level could have on the metabolic health of his offspring into adulthood. The researchers found that exercise negated the glucose intolerance seen in the offspring of male mice fed a high-fat diet. Kristin Stanford, author of the study and a physiology and cell biology researcher with the Ohio State University College of Medicine, told the Wexner Medical Center, “When the dad exercised, even on a high-fat diet, we saw improved metabolic health in their adult offspring.”

This research suggests that future fathers who maintain a healthy diet and active lifestyle can potentially mitigate the health risks associated with their dietary choices, ensuring a healthier future for their children.