A recent study has revealed that a newborn’s weight and length are not influenced by the father’s BMI or diet quality, but are more affected by the mother’s dietary habits.
The research, which examined 1,640 fathers and their newborns from the Finnish “Steps to Healthy Development of Children” (STEPS) study, found no link between a father’s body mass index (BMI) or diet quality and the birth weight or length of their child. The study also assessed the mothers’ diets.
The study showed that 60% of fathers had unhealthy diets, while 33.5% of mothers followed poor dietary habits. Despite this, the father’s diet and BMI were not associated with the newborn’s size.
Obesity is linked to a higher risk of developing various health conditions, such as heart disease, kidney disease, certain cancers, and type 2 diabetes. It can also increase the likelihood of a child being born obese if the parents had obesity before conception, the study found, with children being 264% more likely to become obese if both parents were obese prior to pregnancy.
The researchers suggested that while the father’s BMI and diet did not affect birth outcomes, further studies are needed to explore their long-term impact on a child’s growth and development, especially in adolescence and adulthood. These effects may be influenced by epigenetic changes and other factors that affect normal development.
The study was published in the journal Nutrients.
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