The association between consumption of ultra-processed foods and sperm quality parameters: a cross-sectional study.

IF 1.7 Q2 MULTIDISCIPLINARY SCIENCES BMC Research Notes Pub Date : 2025-02-01 DOI:10.1186/s13104-025-07107-4

Mitra Soltani, Mohammad Reza Ahmadi, Zainab Shateri, Zahra Maghsoudi, Milad Rajabzadeh-Dehkordi, Moein Askarpour, Amir Hossein Asadi, Mehran Nouri

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Abstract

Background: While recent studies suggest a correlation between unhealthy dietary patterns, oxidative stress, inflammation, and male infertility, the potential association between ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and male infertility remains underexplored. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the association between UPF intake and male infertility by evaluating sperm quality parameters.

Methods: The participants (n = 260) of the current cross-sectional study were recruited from an infertility center in Isfahan Province, Iran. Four semen parameters-such as total sperm motility, sperm concentration, sperm volume, and normal sperm morphology-were evaluated. Also, the participants' food intake was assessed using a validated 168-item food frequency questionnaire. Moreover, the NOVA system was employed to calculate the UPF index. The association between UPFs and sperm parameters was analyzed using logistic regression.

Results: In the crude model, no significant associations were observed between the second and last tertiles of UPFs with abnormalities in sperm concentration, total motility, and morphology (p > 0.05 for all). However, after adjusting for age, marriage duration, body mass index, physical activity, depression, anxiety, stress, energy intake, cigarette history, and mineral and vitamin supplements, a significantly higher association was identified between the second tertile of UPFs and abnormalities in sperm concentration (odds ratio (OR) = 3.962, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.345-11.670, p = 0.013).

Conclusions: In conclusion, although the analysis did not find significant associations between UPF consumption and impaired sperm motility and morphology, it revealed significant trends linking higher UPF intake with lower sperm concentration. If future studies confirm these results, they could aid in designing interventional and preventive programs aimed at addressing infertility in men of reproductive age in the field of public health.

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超加工食品消费与精子质量参数之间的关系：一项横断面研究。

背景：虽然最近的研究表明不健康的饮食模式、氧化应激、炎症和男性不育症之间存在相关性，但超加工食品（upf）与男性不育症之间的潜在联系仍未得到充分探讨。因此，本研究的目的是通过评估精子质量参数来研究UPF摄入量与男性不育之间的关系。方法：目前横断面研究的参与者（n = 260）从伊朗伊斯法罕省的一家不孕不育中心招募。四个精液参数，如精子总活力、精子浓度、精子体积和正常精子形态进行了评估。此外，参与者的食物摄入量是用一个有效的168项食物频率问卷来评估的。此外，采用NOVA系统计算UPF指数。使用逻辑回归分析upf与精子参数之间的关系。结果：在粗模型中，未观察到第二和最后三分之一的upf与精子浓度、总活力和形态异常之间的显著关联（p < 0.05）。然而，在调整了年龄、婚姻持续时间、体重指数、体力活动、抑郁、焦虑、压力、能量摄入、吸烟史、矿物质和维生素补充剂等因素后，发现第二分位数的upf与精子浓度异常之间存在显著更高的相关性(优势比（OR) = 3.962, 95%可信区间（CI）： 1.345-11.670, p = 0.013）。结论：总之，尽管分析没有发现UPF消耗与精子活力和形态受损之间的显著关联，但它揭示了UPF摄入量较高与精子浓度较低之间的显著趋势。如果未来的研究证实这些结果，它们可以帮助设计旨在解决公共卫生领域育龄男性不育症的干预和预防方案。

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来源期刊

BMC Research Notes Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology-Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology (all)

CiteScore

3.60

自引率

0.00%

发文量

363

审稿时长

15 weeks

期刊介绍： BMC Research Notes publishes scientifically valid research outputs that cannot be considered as full research or methodology articles. We support the research community across all scientific and clinical disciplines by providing an open access forum for sharing data and useful information; this includes, but is not limited to, updates to previous work, additions to established methods, short publications, null results, research proposals and data management plans.