Study claims you’re fat because of your dad

Men may need to watch their weight and rethink their diet if they’re planning to have a baby soon.

Based on a study carried out by scientists at the University of Copenhagen, a man’s weight influences the DNA in his sperm.

In the study, scientists observed the sperm of 13 slim and 10 obese men under the microscope. They focused on epigenetic modifications, which are tiny chemical marks of DNA that can be passed down and are believed to affect health.

Their findings revealed differences in more than 9,000 genes including those involved in the appetite and brain development.

“It’s common knowledge that when a woman is pregnant she should take care of herself —not drink alcohol, stay away from pollutants, etc. But if the implication of our study holds true, then recommendations could be directed towards men too,” said researcher Romain Barres.

Furthermore, the team of researchers also discovered that the changes don’t appear to be permanent. After analyzing the sperm of six obese men before and after a weight loss operation, they found that the chemical marks began to change within a week after the surgery. In their report, they revealed that the sperm appeared to look more like that of thin men.