Dads could pop a daily fish oil pill to stop their kids piling on the pounds, according to controversial new research. What a father-to-be eats and drinks has an influence on his child's health, say some scientists.
They found that the offspring of the males that consumed fish oil had a lower body weight and showed better metabolic health than the offspring of fathers not supplemented with fish oil. Study leader Dr Latha Ramalingam said: "While further human studies are needed, this discovery opens a new frontier in our understanding of how parents, beyond just genetics, influence their offspring's well-being.
The research team found that offspring that were fed a low-fat healthy diet and fathered by males receiving fish oil weighed less at both seven and 21 days than offspring of the males not receiving fish oil. Female offspring from males receiving fish oil also had improved metabolic health as measured by glucose clearance and insulin sensitivity.