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Obesity may 'harm fertility' in men5 September 2006 Men who are even slightly overweight have an increased risk of being infertile, according to a new study. Research conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in the US has found that men classified as obese on the body mass index (BMI) scale could experience a twofold increase in infertility. Writing in the journal Epidemiology, lead author Markku Sallmen explained that a man's BMI - which is a number calculated from his weight and height - is an independent risk factor for fertility. "The data suggest that a 20-pound increase in men's weight may increase the chance of infertility by about 10 percent," he said. The figures come from a study of almost 1,500 couples in the US who were trying to have a baby. Researchers divided the couples into fertile and infertile groups, depending on whether they had conceived within one year of trying, to assess the effect of BMI levels on fertility. But even after taking into account other factors such as the BMI of the woman, age, cigarette smoking and alcohol intake, the results still showed a general decrease in fertility among couples where the man was overweight. However, the researchers admit they did not have access to information on the frequency of sexual intercourse, and that if heavier men have sex less often this may skew the results. Nevertheless, previous studies have found lower sperm quality in overweight or obese men. David A. Schwartz, director of NIEHS, concluded that, "Preventing obesity can help improve men's overall health, perhaps even their reproductive health." Related links
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