Fat of the matter

Blame momma’s adiposa for weak spermatozoa. If that’s an unkind cut, blame the team of scientists from Aarhus University in Denmark, which has found that there is more than a slim chance that men who have obese mothers are likely to have lower concentrations of sperms. In fact, in a similar study on female mice, scientists in Australia have also suggested that a woman’s fat factor (read obesity) has a direct impact on her ova. Well, nothing conclusive yet, but by zygote, is that a stretched tail-end or what.

Among the many surveys that are quasi-science, quasi-fun, there emerge a few that establish links so improbable that they border on the ludicrous. In this instance, there appears to be enough hormonal evidence to show that higher levels of oestrogen, associated with being overweight, can harm the way a male foetus’ reproductive organs develop. The differences reported so far are slight, but a linkage certainly exists. So now there’s another very good reason for mom-to-be to go easy on the munchies. The study appears almost simultaneously to one by the Adelaide University’s Research Centre where the adverse impact of fat on ova has been established. Fertilised, eggs (in obese women) are not able to undergo normal, healthy development.

Obesity has been a growing problem across the world and the trigger for a multitude of chronic ailments. The twin studies add to the fear of fat. No kidding, where there’s fat, there’s trouble.

First Published: Aug 28, 2007 23:28 IST