Study Links Ultraprocessed Foods to Male Subfertility, Slower Embryo Growth

A new study has found associations between higher consumption of ultraprocessed foods and reduced fertility in men, as well as slower early embryonic development in women, prompting calls for further research into dietary impacts on reproduction.

The research, published in the journal Human Reproduction, analyzed data from 831 women and 651 male partners participating in the Generation R Study Next Programme in the Netherlands. The couples were enrolled between 2017 and 2021, either during the preconception period or early pregnancy. Researchers assessed diets through questionnaires completed around 12 weeks of gestation, where ultraprocessed foods—such as packaged snacks, ready meals, sugary cereals, and soft drinks—accounted for an average of 22 percent of women's intake and 25 percent of men's.

For men, higher ultraprocessed food consumption was linked to a longer time to pregnancy and an increased risk of subfertility, defined as taking 12 months or more to conceive or requiring assisted reproductive technology. These associations held after adjusting for factors like age, body mass index, smoking, alcohol use, and the partner's diet. Lead researcher Dr. Romy Gaillard, a...