A recent study reveals that poor food habits in fathers can lead to obese offsprings.
Researchers from the University of New South Wales state that paternal diet is a determining factor in future obesity of children,, reports ctvnews.
The researchers based their findings on tests conducted on two groups of rats. The first group was fed a regular diet and the second treated with a high-fat diet. Both the groups were made to mate with lean female rats.
The baby rats born to the obese fathers were found to have altered gene expressions in the fat and pancreas tissues, affecting metabolism and glucose level in the body. According to the researchers, the changes in the gene expression can lead to obesity and premature aging in the future.
The baby rats when treated with glucose rich diet performed poorly, confirming the gene alterations. "The fact that similar gene markers were affected in pancreas and fat tissue tells us that some of the same pathways are being influenced, possibly from the earliest stages of life," Dr Margaret Morris, a researcher for the Pharmacology School of Medical Sciences, said in a press release.
The study is a bit different as it focuses on paternal diet instead of maternal, as is generally the case.
An earlier study has shown that paternal obesity can lead to heart problems and cancer in newborns. Deficiency of vitamin B9 OR folate in fathers' diet increases chances of birth defects in infants.
