Father's health might affect fetus

October 20, 2010

Animal studies are finding that fathers who eat a high-fat diet may give their daughters diabetes.

Men have already been advised to stop smoking and consume less alcohol around conception.

Now, researchers reporting in the journal Nature say that advice may need to include maintaining a healthy body weight and diet. They suspect an overweight man's sperm may be influenced by hormonal and metabolic changes. And that is somehow being transmitted to the offspring and into their pancreas.

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