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We all know that a father's behaviour can impact a daughter's mindset towards life but a new study by the University of California Riverside reveals that a father’s diet can significantly impact his daughter’s health. The study led by Changcheng Zhou observed that males consuming a high-cholesterol diet can affect the heart health of their daughters, even when they have maintained a healthy routine throughout their lives.

Heart-related diseases are one of the leading causes of death worldwide. From daily routine to what we eat, everything contributes to cardiovascular health. This study shows a rare connection that reveals how a father’s diet can have an impact on his daughter's heart health. The study focuses on atherosclerosis – a chronic inflammation that is one of the primary causes of cardiovascular diseases. Atherosclerosis occurs when plaque, consisting of cholesterol, fat and other substances, collects in artery walls, restricting the circulation of blood to the vital organs of the body.

The study involved mice lacking the LDL receptor. He was fed either a high-cholesterol diet or a normal diet for eight weeks before being mated with female mice on a normal diet. The baby mice were then placed on a normal diet and examined for atherosclerosis.

The results of the study revealed that female baby mice of fathers who consumed a high-cholesterol diet developed thicker arterial plaque than the other baby mice of fathers on a normal diet. It was further examined that the results of the study were gender-specific. The male babies of fathers who were on a high-cholesterol diet did not show much difference.

The researchers of the study further revealed that the female baby mice of fathers on a high-cholesterol diet had increased expression of genes linked with inflammation and immune responses. These gene expressions are considered key factors in the development of atherosclerosis.

Changcheng Zhou, lead of the study, stated that this study helps in understanding how environmental exposures, including unhealthy diet, environmental toxicants, and stress can affect intergenerational inheritance.

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