Want a Son? Eat Breakfast.

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The sex of a baby is determined by the father's sperm — if it delivers a Y chromosome it's a boy, an X chromosome and it's a girl.

But the latest research shows moms can play a role in determining the sex of their child by what they eat.

A study published in the Royal Science journal Biological Sciences shows a link between eating a higher-calorie diet around the time of conception and giving birth to sons, according to BBC news. While this difference isn't huge, the research suggests that the tendency of women in developed nations to diet may explain why the proportion of boys in those countries (the U.S. and Britain, for example) is falling.

The study focused on 740 first-time mothers in the U.K. who divulged their eating habits before and during the early stages of pregnancy.

According to the article, the average calorie intake for women who had sons was 2,413 a day, compared to 2,283 calories a day for women who had girls.

Women who had sons were also more likely to have eaten a higher quantity and wider range of nutrients, including potassium, calcium and vitamins C, E and B12.

And the first meal of the day was an important factor. The women who gave birth to sons were more likely to have eaten breakfast cereals.

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