Low folate in male diet linked to risk of offspring birth defects
Previous research has shown that what mothers eat during pregnancy affects the health of their offspring. But now, a new study suggests that a father's diet prior to conception could also play an important role in their child's health, particularly when it comes to consumption of folate.
Folate, also known as vitamin B9, is found naturally in a broad variety of foods, including dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, beans, peas, fruit and fruit juices, dairy products, poultry and meat, eggs, seafood and grains.
The study, conducted testings on mice fathers, concluded that, “ sperm can carry a "memory" of a father's lifestyle choices and diet, and the information from a father's diet is transferred to an "epigenomic map," which can influence a child's development.
Leaving Researcher Sarah Kimmins to say that their findings suggest that fathers need to think about what they eat, smoke and drink just as much as mothers do, as their lifestyle choices could impact future generations.
