Association Between Fatty Acid Intakes and Age-Related Macular Degeneration in a Japanese Population: JPHC-NEXT Eye Study

PURPOSE: To determine the associations between fatty acid intakes and the prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) under a population-based cross-sectional study. METHODS: Residents of Chikusei City aged ≥40 years underwent systemic and eye screening. AMD was graded according to a modified version of the Age-Related Eye Disease Study classification. Dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire and was adjusted for total energy intake. RESULTS: Altogether, 10,788 eyes of 5394 participants, 2116 men (mean [standard deviation (SD)] age, 62.4 [9.4] years) and 3278 women (60.6 [9.5] years), were included. The mean daily total fat intakes were 52.8 g and 59.0 g in men and women, respectively. After adjustments for potential confounders, saturated fatty acid (SFA) intake was inversely associated with the prevalence of any AMD in men (for each energy-adjusted 1-SD increase: odds ratio [OR], 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.74–1.00). Significant trends were found for decreasing odds ratios of AMD with increasing SFA, monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake (P for trend = 0.02, 0.04, and 0.04, respectively). In women, only a significant association was observed between the second quartile of linolenic acid intake and the prevalence of any AMD (OR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.62–0.99). CONCLUSIONS: We found an inverse association of SFA intake and a weak inverse association of MUFA and PUFA intakes with the prevalence of any AMD in a Japanese population. TRANSLATIONAL RELEVANCE: Adequate fatty acid intake may be necessary to prevent or decelerate AMD.