Children's health is closely related to their parents. As we all know, the nutrition of mothers during pregnancy directly affects the development of their babies. A recent British study found that the diet of expectant fathers will also have a long-term impact on their children's future health.

Dr. Adam Watkins, assistant professor of reproductive biology at the University of Nottingham, UK, and his research team conducted experiments on mice. They found that compared with male mice fed high protein diet, the chemical DNA tags used to regulate gene expression in sperm of mice fed low protein diet were significantly reduced, and the sperm quality was reduced. The offspring of these "poorly fed" male mice have fewer genes regulating fat metabolism, so they are more likely to suffer from obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Dr. Watkins said that many early studies had confirmed that the sperm quality of men who were overweight, smoking, drinking or suffering from type 2 diabetes was significantly lower than that of healthy men. However, the diet quality of expectant fathers has not received enough attention. The genetic information transmitted by healthy sperm itself will directly affect the health of offspring, and seminal plasma also plays a vital role in the maternal uterine environment during pregnancy. High quality seminal plasma can inhibit maternal uterine inflammation and immune response, and promote the successful implantation and development of embryos. Researchers suggest that for the sake of good development and long-term health of children, more attention should be paid to the diet choices, lifestyle and psychological well-being of prospective fathers when preparing for pregnancy. ▲ (Jinya)

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