the western pattern diet , also called western dietary pattern or the meat - sweet diet , is a dietary habit chosen by many people in the developed countries , and increasingly in the developing countries . it is characterized by high intakes of red meat , sugary desserts , high - fat foods , and refined grains1 . it also typically contains high - fat dairy products , high - sugar drinks2 , and higher intakes of processed meat . the western pattern diet is composed of foods that are rich in fat and sugar . also , there are several important vitamins and minerals that are essential for good health , but are not typically included in the western pattern diet . lifestyle factors are behaviours and circumstances that are , or were once , modifiable and can be a contributing factor to sub fertility . fertility is the capacity to produce offspring , whereas fecundity is a woman 's biological ability to reproduce based on the monthly probability of conception . clinical infertility is defined as the inability to become pregnant after 12 months of unprotected intercourse3 . it has been estimated that approximately 15 per cent of the population in industrially developed countries are affected4 . the causes of infertility are wide ranging including diagnoses such as , ovulatory disorders , tubal disease , endometriosis , chromosomal abnormalities , sperm factors and unexplained infertility . the impact of lifestyle on reproductive performance may vary depending on individual aetiology and circumstances . the relationship of lifestyle factors such as diet , physical activity , smoking , and alcohol intake , to chronic diseases is well known . infertility affects approximately 15 - 20 per cent of all couples trying to conceive , and about half of these cases are due to male fertility5 . infertility can be caused by a huge number of factors : hormone imbalance , polycystic ovarian syndrome , endometriosis , anovulatory cycles , physical blockage , inadequate hormone production , short luteal phase , lack of lutenizing hormone , high levels or prolactin , and many others6 . with increasing life expectancy and ageing of the population all over the world , the concomitant increase in the burden of chronic diseases and disability has resulted in growing emphasis being placed on primary preventive measures such as lifestyle modifications . some of the conclusive and inconclusive examples which impaired the fertility are discussed below . female age : by the time women reach 35 yr of age , their fertility declins789 . at an even earlier age , the number and quality of oocytes decrease but it manifests clinically at around 35 yr of age101112 . smoking : cigarette smoking has been associated with adverse effects on fertility , although this is not widely recognized13 . in males , smoking negatively affects sperm production , motility and morphology and is associated with an increased risk of dna damage1415 . in females , the constituents of cigarette smoke may affect the follicular microenvironment and alter hormone levels in the luteal phase16 . obesity and low body weight can impact on reproductive function by causing hormone imbalances and ovulatory dysfunction . abnormal weight is usually defined as a high body mass index ( bmi ) of 25 and a low bmi of 20 kg / m2 and the effects of abnormal weight have been reported in several studies171819 . exercise : regular exercise affects an individual 's general health and wellbeing and probably provides some protection from obesity , cardiovascular disease , hypertension , diabetes , osteoporosis and psychological stress . research in relation to physical fitness and reproduction is primarily focused on athletes rather than women who have a moderate level of fitness . the exercise has been shown to be associated with a reduction in risk of ovulatory infertility19 . caffeine : the stimulant properties of caffeine have led to its widespread use as a beverage ( coffee , tea and soft drinks ) and some foods such as chocolate . its consumption has been reported to prolong the time of pregnancy ; although the mechanism is unclear . caffeine may affect female reproduction by targeting ovulation and corpus luteal function through alterations to hormone levels21 and has been associated with higher early follicular e2 levels in females22 . alcohol : alcohol consumption has been reported to decrease fertility , although the level of consumption associated with this risk is not clear . alcohol consumption at the extreme level is known to be dangerous to the unborn child but the effect at lower levels is less certain2324 . the mechanisms by which alcohol could impair conception are unclear but may include an alcohol - induced rise in estrogen , which reduces secretion of follicular stimulating hormone suppressing folliculogenisis and ovulation . it may also have a direct effect on the maturation of the ovum , ovulation , blastocyst development and implantation25 . nutritional factors : the deficiencies of essential nutrients may adversely affect the functioning of the female reproductive system and cause infertility . specifically , when deficiencies of folic acid , vitamin b12 or iron have been diagnosed and treated , fertility has been restored in whomen who had been infertile for several years26 . the body will not allow conception to occur or a pregnancy to continue if it does not have the basic foundation needed to sustain a pregnancy . many women turn to a low - fat , high fiber diet in an attempt to increase health and lose weight . weight loss has been shown to increase fertility , but losing weight in this way may not be effective for increasing fertility because it deprives the body of the necessary proteins and fats necessary for hormone production27 . for an optimum nutrition it is necessary to remove grains , processed foods , sugars and starches from the diet , and obtain necessary carbohydrates from vegetables , some fruits and starchy sources like sweet potatoes and squash . the healthy fats in the diet especially from sources like coconuts , coconut oil , olives and olive oil , butter , grass - fed meats , eggs , avocado and nuts need to be increased . there is a need to eat vegetables , especially green leafy varieties and to avoid processed dairy products . male infertility is a multifactorial disease process with a number of potential contributing causes . considering that the majority of male infertility cases are due to deficient sperm production of unknown origin occupational risk factors , including exposure to heat , chemicals , and heavy metals need to be examined various nutritional strategies have been presented which have a beneficial impact on egg , female hormone , sperm count , motility , and ultimately on reproduction . it is advisable to consider decreased fertility in both men and women as a physiological early warning system , a  canary in the coal mine  , which is acting as a sensitive indicator of environmental disruptions and nutritional imbalances .
it has been accepted that food customs are closely associated with the quality of life in both men and women 's reproductive life . 
 food customs are speculated to not only influence the present lifestyle but also to induce gynaecological disorders such as dysmenorrhoea , spermatogenesis and irregular menstruation . 
 though there is no consistent definition of regular or normal menstruation , epidemiologic evaluation of menstrual cycle has been becoming an important issue . in addition , 
 latent development of organic diseases such as endometriosis , which are accompanied by dysmenorrhoea , is a concern under the current nutritional environment . 
 thus , it is an important issue to evaluate the present situation of eating habits in couples and estimate the influence of these habits on the quality of reproductive functions . 
 a multi - faceted therapeutic approach to improving fertility involves identifying harmful environmental and occupational risk factors , while correcting underlying nutritional imbalances to encourage optimal reproduction and its function .