Research shows that being overweight affects your offspring

Women who are overweight are at risk of giving birth to sons who are less fertile than normal, according to new research.

Obesity is known to affect a woman's chance of getting pregnant, but this is the first time such a link has been made to the fertility of their offspring.

The research team from a University in Denmark, tracked the health of 300 women and their sons. Although most of the women were of normal weight when they became pregnant, 25 had body mass indexes classed as overweight or obese.

Tests showed that their sons had slightly lower concentrations of sperm, as well as fewer mobile sperm. The researchers are carrying out further tests as the differences were so small they could have been down to chance. However, they added that it was a possibility that higher levels of the hormone oestrogen, which is linked to being overweight, might harm the development of the male reproductive organs.

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