The impact of fish and shellfish consumption on age-related macular degeneration.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relationship between fish and shellfish consumption and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) status in the Salisbury Eye Evaluation (SEE) Study participants.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study of dietary and ophthalmologic data.


METHODS
A random sample of 2520 Salisbury, Maryland, residents aged 65 to 84 years.


METHODS
A food frequency questionnaire was used to estimate weekly fish/shellfish consumption for each participant. Age-related macular degeneration status was determined from fundus photographs obtained at baseline and graded by 2 masked readers for drusen size, retinal pigment epithelium abnormalities, geographic atrophy (GA), and choroidal neovascularization (CNV). The association between weekly fish/shellfish intake and risk of AMD was investigated using logistic regression while adjusting for risk factors and correlation between eyes.


METHODS
Status of AMD.


RESULTS
The distribution of weekly fish/shellfish consumption was not different between specific AMD categories compared with controls (P = 0.6, 0.7, and 0.7 for large drusen, pigment abnormalities, and advanced AMD compared with controls, respectively). Those with advanced AMD (CNV or GA) were significantly less likely to consume fish/shellfish high in omega-3 fatty acids (odds ratio 0.4; confidence interval, 0.2-0.8). There was no relationship of AMD with intake of crab and oysters combined, each of which has high levels of zinc.


CONCLUSIONS
These data support a protective effect of fish/shellfish intake against advanced AMD.
Swenor
Bonnielin K
BK
Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA. bswenor@jhmi.edu
Bressler
Susan
S
Caulfield
Laura
L
West
Sheila K
SK
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D015930:Diet Records; D004435:Eating; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005396:Fish Products; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008396:Maryland / Q000453:epidemiology; D010781:Photography; D012307:Risk Factors; D012758:Shellfish; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires