Diet and lifestyle of both parents play a key role in health of offspring

Parents' diets and health can have profound implications for the growth, development, and long-term health of their children before their conception, according to a series of three papers published in The Lancet.

To help improve health in future generations, the authors call for a joint focus, including better guidance and support for individuals planning pregnancy, and increased public health measures to reduce obesity and improve nutrition. They suggest that behaviour change interventions, supplementation and fortification could lead to preconception health improvements.

"The preconception period is a critical time when parental health – including weight, metabolism, and diet – can influence the risk of future chronic disease in children, and we must now re-examine public health policy to help reduce this risk," says lead author of the series, Professor Judith Stephenson, UCL, UK.