Sydney, Nov 14 (IANS): Researchers have found that if a man's parents were older at the time of his birth, he was more likely to have lower blood pressure, more favourable cholesterol levels and improved glucose metabolism.

The study was conducted on middle-aged men who were overweight.

It was unknown whether the beneficial effect was due to having an older mother, an older father, or both.

Paternal age at childbirth has been increasing worldwide.

Researchers assessed whether this increase affects growth, body composition and metabolism in their children.

Additional studies are necessary to help shed light on the effects of parental age at childbirth on the metabolism of men and women.

"In particular, more research is required to understand whether these effects are due to epigenetics or post-natal factors such as the child-rearing environment," said lead researcher professor Wayne Cutfield, director of the University of Auckland’s Liggins Institute.

The study appeared in the American Journal of Human Biology.