Study Links Fathers' Ultra-Processed Food Intake to Heavier Newborns with More Fat

Brazilian researchers found that men who consume large amounts of ultra-processed foods before conception tend to have babies with higher birth weights and increased thigh and love-handle fat.

A new Brazilian study reports that fathers who eat many ultra-processed foods before conception have infants who are heavier at birth and carry more fat in the thighs and the area above the hips, often called "love handles." The research highlights a shift from the traditional focus on maternal nutrition, emphasizing that paternal dietary habits also shape newborn health. Scientists propose that inflammation from processed foods may alter sperm epigenetics, especially the paternally inherited IGF-II gene that regulates fetal growth.

While previous work linked overweight fathers to lighter babies, this study finds the opposite effect for ultra-processed food consumption. Maternal intake of the same foods early in pregnancy was associated with lower birth weight and smaller head circumference, likely due to nutrient deficiencies. The authors warn that early excess fat could increase the risk of non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers later in life.