Mother's diet during pregnancy 'influences' baby's sex

LONDON: It seems there's some truth in old wives' tales on baby gender, for a new study has revealed that to-be-mom's diet during pregnancy can actually influence her child's sex.
 
A team of researchers from Oxford University and Exeter University has found that women can influence the sex of their child by what they eat around the time of conception, the 'Biological Sciences' journal reported.
 
The study suggests that women who want a son need to eat a generous bowl of cereals for breakfast and bananas, use more salt and boost their overall daily food intake by 400 calories -- the equivalent of a meal.
 
"We have evidence of a 'natural' mechanism that means that women appear to be already controlling the sex of their offspring by their diet," said lead researcher Fiona Mathews of Exeter University.
 
The study focused on 740 first-time pregnant mothers in Britain, who were asked to provide records of their eating habits before and during the early stages of pregnancy.
 
The researchers found that 56 per cent of women with the highest energy intake around the time of conception had boys, compared to just 45 per cent among women with the lowest energy intake.
 
Women who had sons were also more likely to have eaten a higher quantity and variety of nutrients, including calcium, potassium and vitamins C, E and B12. They were also likely to have eaten breakfast cereals.