Fathers' intake of fish oil supplements can lower obesity risk in kids, shows study

Fathers who consume fish oil supplements can help reduce the risk of obesity among children, said researchers after a study in mice.

The study by researchers at Syracuse University in the US, suggests a simple dietary change, in the form of a fish oil supplement taken by fathers, to help address the rising health concern.

The team’s previous study demonstrated the benefits of fish oil supplementation in mothers for reducing childhood obesity risk.

The new study with about 150 mice showed that male mice who consumed fish oil supplements had offspring with lower body weight and showed better metabolic health than those without it.

Latha Ramalingam, Assistant Professor in Nutrition at Syracuse University shared that the study shows "how parents, beyond just genetics, influence their offspring's well-being".

"Fish oil, a readily available and safe supplement, could become a powerful weapon in our fight for a healthier next generation," she added.

According to data from the World Health Organisation (WHO), the number of young people ages 5 to 19 who are obese has risen from 31 million in 1990 to 160 million in 2022. Obesity is a major risk factor for diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol and may also lead to poor self-esteem and depression.

Further, the study showed that mice offspring that were fed a low-fat healthy diet and fathered by males receiving fish oil weighed less at 7 and 21 days than offspring of the males not receiving fish oil.

"This concept offers a significant potential to reshape our strategies in combating childhood obesity," said Ramalingam.

The findings will be presented at NUTRITION 2024, the flagship annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition held June 29-July 2 in Chicago.