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Publications

Journal Article Epublish 1 citation

PubMed: 40517261 DOI: 10.1186/s41043-025-00975-3

The association of global and prime diet quality scores with sperm quality parameters: a cross-sectional study.

J Health Popul Nutr 44(1):197

Authors: Pegah Hadi Sichani, Seyyed Mohammad Alavi, Marzieh Mahmoodi, Mohammad Javad Entezari Meybodi, Seyyed Mojtaba Amiri, Melika Mahmoudi-Zadeh, Zainab Shateri, Mehran Nouri

Affiliations

  • Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Nutrition and Food Security Research Center, Student Research Committee, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
  • Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
  • Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Health and Nutrition, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
  • Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
  • Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
  • Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
  • Department of Nutrition and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran.
  • Infertility and Reproductive Health Research Center, Health Research Institute, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Diet can directly affect the quality of semen. According to our knowledge, no study has assessed the relationship between the global diet quality score (GDQS) and the prime diet quality score (PDQS) with infertility. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between GDQS and PDQS and sperm quality parameters.

METHODS

In the present cross-sectional study, 260 men with infertility were selected from a major infertility clinic in Isfahan Province, Iran. Four semen parameters were evaluated: semen volume, normal sperm morphology, sperm concentration, and total sperm motility. Also, a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) comprising 168 items was employed to assess the food intake of participants. Moreover, logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationship between GDQS and PDQS with sperm parameters.

RESULTS

The findings showed lower odds of abnormal sperm concentration associated with each unit increase in GDQS (odds ratio (OR) = 0.854, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.764-0.954, p = 0.005), health-positive foods of GDQS (GDQS+) (OR = 0.816, 95% CI: 0.717-0.928, p = 0.002), PDQS (OR = 0.892, 95% CI: 0.814-0.978, p = 0.015), and healthy food groups of PDQS (PDQS+) (OR = 0.825, 95% CI: 0.734-0.926, p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this cross-sectional study suggest a potential association between adherence to a healthy and high-quality diet and higher sperm concentration among men with infertility. Further research, particularly well-designed prospective and interventional studies, is needed to better understand the temporal and causal relationships between diet quality and male reproductive health.

MeSH

Cross-Sectional Studies, Infertility, Diet, Food, Spermatozoa, Preventive Health Services