The relationship of dietary lipid intake and age-related macular degeneration in a case-control study: AREDS Report No. 20.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the association of lipid intake with baseline severity of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS).


METHODS
Age-Related Eye Disease Study participants aged 60 to 80 years at enrollment (N = 4519) provided estimates of habitual nutrient intake through a self-administered semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Stereoscopic color fundus photographs were used to categorize participants into 4 AMD severity groups and a control group (participants with <15 small drusen).


RESULTS
Dietary total omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) intake was inversely associated with neovascular (NV) AMD (odds ratio [OR], 0.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.41-0.90), as was docosahexaenoic acid, a retinal omega-3 LCPUFA (OR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.36-0.80), comparing highest vs lowest quintile of intake, after adjustment for total energy intake and covariates. Higher fish consumption, both total and broiled/baked, was also inversely associated with NV AMD (OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.37-1.00 and OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.45-0.93, respectively). Dietary arachidonic acid was directly associated with NV AMD prevalence (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.04-2.29). No statistically significant relationships existed for the other lipids or AMD groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Higher intake of omega-3 LCPUFAs and fish was associated with decreased likelihood of having NV AMD.
SanGiovanni
John Paul
JP
AREDS Coordinating Center, The EMMES Corporation, 401 N. Washington Street, Rockville, MD 20850, USA. aredspub@emmes.com
Chew
Emily Y
EY
Clemons
Traci E
TE
Davis
Matthew D
MD
Ferris
Frederick L
FL
Gensler
Gary R
GR
Kurinij
Natalie
N
Lindblad
Anne S
AS
Milton
Roy C
RC
Seddon
Johanna M
JM
Sperduto
Robert D
RD
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004032:Diet; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002149:Energy Intake; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3