Diet has a lot to do with birth of babies

London: Would-be parents can almost double their chances of conceiving by improving their diet, according to new research.

Couples should eat plenty of salads, preferably with olive oil, while men need to eat more cereals and less meat and processed foods. Those that do may increase their fertility by up to 40 per cent, according to the findings of the research.

In a study at Erasmus University, the Netherlands, 160 couples were quizzed about their diets and the women monitored as they went through assisted reproduction process.

Researchers found those who ate a Mediterranean diet, including vegetable oils, fish, pulses and vegetables, but low intakes of sugary or salty snacks and processed foods, substantially increased the probability of pregnancy. Vegetable oils are rich in linoleic acid and linked to hormones which are important for initiating the menstrual cycle.

In the second study, reported in the journal Fertility And Sterility, researchers looked at the food and lifestyle of 250 would-be fathers involved in IVF. Results showed sperm concentration went down with increasing weight and alcohol consumption, but was improved by cereal consumption.