Sunday, May 04, 2008

Breakfast for a Boy

It's been common scientific understanding that the sex of a baby is genetically determined by the father. Now we learn that the mother's diet may actually have an effect on whether she gives birth to a boy or girl. Researchers at Exeter and Oxford Universities recently reported a higher percentage of boys born to women who ate a high-energy diet around the time of conception; more girls were born to women who routinely skipped breakfast and had lower-calorie diets. People who skip breakfast have lower glucose levels. High levels of glucose encourage the growth and development of male embryos and inhibit female embryo growth.