In a finding that adds some credence to grandma’s tales that eat “bacon for boys”, a new research has found that taking a high-calorie diet during early stage of pregnancy increases the odds of having a boy from ten to 11 in every 20 births.
According to the study led by Cheryl Rosenfeld of the University of Missouri, women who eat a full breakfast and a high fat diet at the time of conception are more likely to have a boy, while a low fat diet with periods of long fasts favours girls.
“High calorie diets generally favour birth of males over females, whereas low calorie diets tend to favour females over males,” said Rosenfeld.
“In humans and mice, food restriction and a suboptimal diet during the period around conception and early pregnancy also lead to a surfeit of daughters, most probably due to selective loss of male foetuses, the most vulnerable sex in the womb,” he added.
The researchers came to the conclusion after analysing the genes in placentas of pregnant mice fed diets high in fat or carbohydrates and low calorie diets.
They found that each one had a distinctive effect compared with a third group given normal soybean meal-based food, the Telegraph reported.