Baby has fat thighs and jelly belly? Dads diet may be to blame

A dad’s diet can affect a baby’s health before they’re even conceived, a new study from Brazil suggests.Researchers found that the more ultra processed food (think soda and chips, fast food, boxed cereal) a dad eats, the heavier the baby will be at birth, and the more fat in their thighs and suprailiac region just above the hip, commonly known as “love handles.”A chubby baby is hardly cause for alarm, but researchers say these signs could point to negative health outcomes as they grow into children and even affect them into adulthood.This helps shine a light on the father’s role in babies’ health outcomes where research has historically focused on how mom’s health affects the baby.“Maternal nutrition and health before, during, and after the baby’s birth have always received attention, but little is said about the role of the father’s diet,” says Daniela Sartorelli, an author on the study.“Our study shows that it also matters a great deal for the baby’s health.”This study showed dads who eat a lot junk food have babies that weigh more.

A previous study showed overweight dads actually had babies who weighed less.Either way, dad’s health and choices make a difference.Babies born heavy or light have an increased risk of death, but also are more likely to develop noncommunicable diseases later in life like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.Being too heavy can also slow down physical learning milestones, like crawling and walking.How does this happen?Researchers believe ultra-processed foods feed inflammation, affecting sperm, and changing which genes are turned on or off in the baby.“This process is known as epigenetics,” explains Mariana Rinaldi Carvalho, co-author of the study.“Gene activity can be ‘activated’ or ‘deactivated’ depending on the father’s dietary habits.”Specifically, researchers looked at the gene IGF-II, which is inherited from the father only.

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