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Overweight men are more likely to have sons, but at a cost
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A new study has found that overweight men are more likely to father sons. But this could be damaging to children. - photo by Herb Scribner
New research suggests that overweight men are more likely to father sons, according to a study from the journal Fertility and Sterility.

The study, which looked at 8,500 couples who were in fertility treatments, found that slim men had 611 boys and 569 girls, while overweight men were 27 percent more likely to have sons, according to Metro.

The present study is the first to report that overweight and obese men lead to a higher sex ratio at birth compared with normal weight men, the studys researchers said, according to Daily Mail.

Simon Fishel, a professor at the University of Salford and founder of CARE Fertility, told the Daily Mail that more research needs to be done to confirm the results and to look at possible explanations.

He did say one explanation may be that overweight men carry more Y chromosomes in their sperm, according to the Daily Mail.

Though the prospect of having a boy may sound intriguing for some couples, overweight dads could also pass on negative health effects.

For example, research from the University of South Wales found that obese children are more likely to be born to obese fathers, according to News.com. Specifically, the study found that grandsons of overweight grandfathers were more likely to be obese than grandsons of thinner grandfathers, according to news.com.

"The environment can change how our genes are expressed, the studys lead research, USW professor Margaret Morris, told news.com. Pollutants, obesity, even stress can alter how genes are expressed in offspring without altering the genetic code.

Similarly, Felicia Nowak, a researcher at Ohio University, said that some obese parents pass on traits that could influence their childs weight, according to Psychology Today. She based this research of a 2013 study Ohio University conducted on the obesity patterns of mice, in which the mice were fed high-fat diets to become obese. The obese mice were more likely to birth obese children.

"We've identified a number of traits that may affect metabolism and behavior of offspring dependent on the pre-conception diet of the father, Nowak said, according to Psychology Today.

This is why, as Psychology Todays Christopher Bergland wrote, its better for parents, especially fathers, to be physically fit and healthy before conception to minimize risk of their child being obese.

Morris, of USW, said it may be best for soon-to-be dads to begin dieting three months before their wives get pregnant, according to news.com.

Thankfully for parents looking to conceive, there are diets and eating suggestions out there to help you cut down on weight before conception.

BabyCenter.com said parents planning to conceive should cut back on caffeine and high-mercury fish both of which are also recommended for pregnant women after conception to prepare themselves for pregnancy diets and to help them lose weight before giving birth.

BabyCenter also suggests soon-to-be parents cut back on processed, smoked and raw meats.

While you're following a smart eating plan with low-fat, high-fiber foods, start or increase an exercise routine, BabyCenter reported. If you're overweight, aim to lose one to two pounds a week, a safe rate of weight loss. Extreme weight loss from crash dieting can deplete your body's nutritional stores, which isn't a good way to start a pregnancy."
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.