RSS feedFertility in women is closely linked to body weight. Women at either end of the weight scale are known to have problems conceiving. In anorexic women, when the weight falls below a certain level, the periods stop. Similarly, obese woman can stop menstruating. When the body weight increases in anorexics, they start menstruating again. In obese woman with fertility problems, losing weight is one of the treatment manoeuvres that a gynaecologist would prescribe.
Two recent research articles examined the effect of ingested fat on fertility. Both studies came from the Harvard Medical School. The first study (Am J Clin Nutr 2007; 85: 231 -237) asked the question “Does intake of total fat, cholesterol and major types of fatty acids affect the risk of ovulatory infertility?” The study involved 18,555 married, premenopausal women without a history of infertility who attempted a pregnancy or became pregnant between 1991 and 1999. In the analyses, the researchers found that intake of total fat, cholesterol and most types of fatty acids were not related to ovulatory infertility. However, they have found that for every 2% increase in the intake of energy from trans unsaturated fat (trans fat), as opposed to carbohydrates, the risk of ovulatory infertility was increased by 131%! Using the same population of married women, the same researchers examined the possible association of dairy food intake with anovulatory infertility and whether the fat content influenced the association (Hum Reprod 2007 Feb 28; epub). Women who consumed ≥ 2 servings / day of low- fat dairy foods have an 85% increased risk of anovulatory infertility than those who consumed ≤ 1 serving / week. When they examined the role of high-fat dairy foods (such as ice-cream), they found that women consuming ≥1 serving / day of high-fat dairy foods were 27% less likely to have anovulatory infertility when compared to those consuming ≤ 1 serving / week. They also found that intake of lactose, calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D were not related to anovulatory infertility.
Eating too few high-fat dairy foods and too many low-fat dairy foods puts you at risk of infertility. Eating too often in fast food outlets such as McDonalds, Burger King and Pizza Hut can affect your fertility too! Why, you may ask. The reason lies in the fat they use to cook the food. The food is cooked in trans fat!
Some arm-chair thinker might say these results are so obvious because when men and women were created, there were no low-fat dairy foods and no trans-fat. The survival of mankind depended on fertility. Now, times have changed. Is it for the better or is it for the worse? That depends.
For those ice-cream lovers, you now have some excuse to indulge in your next tub of Haagen-Dazs!
