Exploring the Link Between Global Diet Quality Score and Sperm Parameters in Infertile Men: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: In examining the causes of a couple's infertility, the male factor generally accounts for about 50%.  According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an infertile man is defined as someone whose sperm cannot fertilize a healthy egg after at least one year of regular, unprotected sex. Diet is known to be one of the most important factors affecting male fertility. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the Global Diet Quality Score (GDQS) and sperm quality. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 218 infertile men aged between 20 and 50 who visited an infertility referral clinical and research center. A 168-question food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was used to evaluate their food intake. The GDQS was calculated from the sum of scores across 25 food groups, with scores ranging from 0 to 49. To assess the relationship between GDQS and sperm parameters, logistic regression was used to account for potential confounding factors. Results: The results of this study demonstrated that in the unadjusted model, higher adherence to the GDQS was associated with lower odds of low sperm concentration, though this association was not statistically significant (OR: 0.60; 95% CI: 0.29–1.20; P=0.15). This association was attenuated and no longer significant after adjusting for confounding factors, with no significant associations observed for other sperm parameters in either crude or adjusted models (all P>0.05). Conclusion: Future research requires large-scale prospective cohorts, clinical trials, and more detailed dietary pattern assessments to better understand the diet-fertility relationship.