Khaberni - A recent scientific study has uncovered a potential link between the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and decreased fertility in men, which may contribute to delayed conception among couples.
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are defined as industrial products such as mass-produced bread, breakfast cereals, potato chips, and sweets, often containing chemical additives that exceed their natural ingredients. Previous studies have linked these foods to several chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, dementia, and cancer.
In this context, a study published in the journal Human Reproduction revealed the possibility of a link between consumption of these foods and fertility levels, in an attempt to understand the impact of diet on reproduction chances.
The study included 831 women and 651 men of their partners, where researchers followed the participants from the pre-pregnancy stage through the first few years of their children's lives, while their dietary habits were evaluated during the twelfth week of pregnancy.
The results showed that men who consumed larger amounts of ultra-processed foods were more likely to suffer from "reduced fertility", meaning they needed more time to achieve pregnancy. The risk increase averaged 37%, rising to 69% among those who registered the highest consumption rates.
For women, the effect was less pronounced, as consumption of these foods was not consistently linked to delayed pregnancy, but was associated with a slight slowdown in fetal growth and smaller gestational sac size in the early stages of pregnancy, differences that diminished in subsequent tests.
On average, ultra-processed foods accounted for about 22% of the diet in women, compared to 25% in men, while this percentage exceeded 30% among more than 10% of the couples participating in the study.
Researchers speculate that this effect may be linked to the sensitivity of sperm to diet, while the mother's diet may directly affect the environment in which the fetus develops in the womb.
Despite these results, the study's administrators emphasized that their findings are observational in nature and do not prove a direct causal relationship, necessitating further research to confirm these links.
The researchers called for an expanded focus to include men's health before pregnancy, not just focusing on women's health, asserting that the lifestyle of both partners plays an important role in reproduction chances.
Experts welcomed the results but cautioned against overinterpreting them, noting that the recorded differences are limited, and other factors such as weight, physical activity, and smoking still have a more significant impact on fertility.
They affirmed that maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle remains the most crucial factor when planning for conception, as there is still no conclusive evidence that reducing ultra-processed foods alone makes a significant difference.
