During pregnancy mothers always get all the attention. But a study suggests that the father's diet before conception may play an equally important role in the health of their offspring. Fathers should pay as much attention to their lifestyle and diet before they set out to conceive a child as mothers do. A father's diet prior to conception may also play a critical role in a newborn's health.
Research shows for the first time that the father's folate levels may be just as important to the development and health of their offspring as are those of the mother. The research focused on vitamin B9, also called folate, which is found in a range of green leafy vegetables, broccoli, spinach, orange juice, peanuts, asparagus, brown rice, cereals, fruit and meats. Folate (vitamin B9), is important for men to make healthy sperm and is the naturally occurring form of folic acid. Eating a wide range of fruit and vegetables will give you plenty of antioxidants.
"Research suggests that fathers need to think about what they put in their mouths, what they smoke and what they drink and remember they are caretakers of generations to come," said Sarah Kimmins, a specialist in reproductive biology at McGill University. Another animal study published in The FASEB Journal from January 2014 found that there is a strong biological link between a father's diet, body weight and health at the time of conception and the health of his offspring.
Given below are a few tips on a healthy preconception diet for men: Eating a higher amount of foods that are rich in antioxidants and Vitamin C to boost sperm motility. Increasing the consumption of zinc, including foods that are high in Vitamin B or folic acid in the diet. Consuming a higher amount of Vitamin D and calcium each day. It is a good idea for men to take a multivitamin containing selenium and zinc each day, for at least three months before conception. This is because it takes their bodies around 90 days or so, to develop healthy sperm.
It can't all be on the mother; the father can be a route for the transmission of birth defects and can influence offspring health. Guys need to pay attention to what they're doing in terms of lifestyle choices prior to having a baby, just like the woman does.
I wouldn't suggest men rush out and buy supplements because I think a normal healthy diet will give them the right amount but doctors haven't paid much attention to what fathers-to-be eat and drink. And that should change.
Potential fathers should motivate themselves to exercise more and eat healthier. The media and scientific research often focus on the importance of the mom's diet during pregnancy - but dad's diet plays a role too, and potential fathers need to be aware of this when they're entering this stage of life. If you commit yourself to a few months of clean living and healthy eating, and a safe lifestyle, you'll be in top shape to father a child.
There are nutritional needs for both men and women.
Starting a family requires the dual role and effort for both the mother and the father and that's a fact. Motherhood is hard, but becoming a father is equally difficult.
Fathers' health prior to conception is clearly just as important as mothers', and when thinking of starting a family both mom and dad need to be as healthy as possible. Fatherhood is a challenging part of life. Always remember, your role as a father influences the growth and development of your child. Fathers should aim to be as healthy as possible at the time of conception to give future generations the best possible chance of good health.
If all goes as we hope, our next step should be to work with collaborators at a fertility clinic so that we can start assessing the links in men between diet, being overweight and how this information relates to the health of their children.
This article is the first step in understanding exactly how the nutrition and health of fathers affects his children, for better or worse. Now fathers have to be held accountable. I wish them luck.
So fathers; eat for three: yourself, your unborn baby, and your spouse.
The writer is a nutritionist. Email:
fahmidahashem60@gmail.com
Dad\\\'s diet influences health of newborn just like mom\\\'s
Fahmida Hashem | Published: March 01, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00
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