Dietary Consumption of Lutein and Zeaxanthin in Panama: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND: The macular pigments of the eye increase with a diet rich in lutein and zeaxanthin, both of which are phytochemicals and important for visual health. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine the dietary consumption of lutein and zeaxanthin in adults working at the Universidad de Panamá (University of Panama), Panama City. METHOD: This was a cross-sectional study with 164 subjects including both men and women >18 y of age and employed at the University of Panama, Panama City, Panama. The data collection was carried out between May and September 2017. A semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire was applied with 43 foods high in lutein and zeaxanthin, which included eggs as the only source of animal protein, 23 vegetables, 15 fruits, and 4 foods prepared with corn as an ingredient. RESULTS: The mean ± SD age was 45.7 ± 12.7 y (72% women). The mean ± SD and median (IQR) lutein consumption were 2.063 ± 2.334 mg/d and 1.512 (1.385) mg/d, respectively; and for zeaxanthin these were 0.858 ± 0.866 mg/d and 0.550 (0.819) mg/d, respectively. The food products that contributed the most dietary lutein and zeaxanthin were tomatoes, corn tortilla, and egg yolk. CONCLUSION: The consumption of lutein and zeaxanthin is low among people working at the University of Panama, and this is not associated with sociodemographic variables.