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Parent Category: Upper-Intermediate News Lessons

Category: Relationships Lessons

Written by Chris Cotter

A search on Google for gender selection brings up more than 500,000 hits. There are simple sites with calendars to track ovulation cycles, as well as outrageous ones with star charts that determine the best days to conceive a boy or a girl. More than a few sites promote vague but expensive services that supposedly produce the desired results. But according to a new study, a woman's diet plays a more important role than ever imagined.

The study followed the food intake of 740 first-time mothers before and after they became pregnant. The women were divided into three groups. The amount of calories consumed each day determined the placement of each person. The study revealed that women who packed in the vitamins and minerals in high-energy diets produced male children. Of the participants in the study, 56% with the highest energy intake had boys. The less well-fed women had boys only 45% of the time. Of the greatest surprise, more sons were born to women who ate at least one bowl of cereal each morning.

In the developed nations of the world, a slight increase in the number of girls has occurred over the past forty years. Although obesity rates have also risen during this time, the study suggests that poor diets are responsible for the shift. Many adults skip breakfast, for example, or eat meals high in calories but low in energy and nutrients. In addition, many women follow a cycle of diets. If women were to conceive while on a diet, then chances for a daughter improve.

The study didn't make any recommendations, but readers may draw their own: Don't count calories, and eat food high in vitamins, minerals, and energy in order to have a son. A bowl of cereal lacedwith sugar anyone?