Assessment of macular pigment optical density in Arab population and its relationship to people’s anthropometric data: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Anthropometry facilitates the evaluation of risks associated with reduced macular pigment optical density (MPOD). OBJECTIVES: To investigate the predictors and anthropometric indices associated with MPOD in healthy adult in Arab population. DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional study. METHODS: The MPOD was measured at 0.5° from fovea using a heterochromatic flicker photometer. Healthy participants aged between 20 and 40 years were recruited. The study evaluated the following data of the participants: height, weight, body mass index, body fat percentage, basal metabolic rate, visceral fat level, muscle mass, bone mineral content, and percentage of protein and body water. The correlation between MPOD with anthropometrics and demographic data was evaluated using Spearman’s correlation test. The differences among genders were investigated using the Mann–Whitney U test. The smoking effect on MPOD was analyzed using the Friedman test. RESULTS: In all, 143 participants were recruited. The median ± interquartile range was calculated for age (23 ± 4 years), visual acuity (0.00 ± 0.00 logMAR), and MPOD (0.41 ± 0.18). The average MPOD was higher in males than in females but it was not statistically significant (p > 0.05); on the other hand, they were statistically significantly different in most of the anthropometric data. A significant relationship was found between MPOD and percentage of body fat, protein, and body water (r = 0.30, p < 0.05). The observed median MPOD value was higher in this study than that found in previous studies in white populations, but lower than that found in studies investigating Asian populations. CONCLUSION: One of the most important risk factors of age-related macular degeneration is associated with a relative absence of macular pigment. This study brought into focus percentage of protein and body water for further studies as well as the well-established links with body fat and obesity. Unknown predictors of MPOD remain uncovered. The study also provided first report on normative values of MPOD for Arab population and confirmed the differences from other ethnicities.