Dad`s diet, bodyweight during conception may contribute to obesity in offspring

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Washington: A new study has suggested that children are more likely to have weight problems if their fathers are overweight at conception.

It was found that obese fathers cause altered gene expression in pancreas and fat of offspring, possibly leading to diabetes, obesity, chronic degenerative disease and premature ageing.

Research involving rats suggested that there is a biological link between paternal diet, bodyweight and health at the time of conception and the health of his offspring.

In the study, scientists at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia showed that if male rats ate a high fat diet, had diabetes and were obese, their offspring had altered gene expression in two important metabolic tissues- pancreas and fat (even though they were not yet obese).

This altered gene expression may increase the risk of future obesity and premature aging. Other genes that were affected include markers of premature aging, cancer, and chronic degenerative disease.

The study was published in the FASEB Journal.

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