This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Body fat level related to macular pigment optical density
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — There is a significant inverse relationship between percentage of body fat and macular pigment optical density, according to a poster presentation here at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology meeting.
The study, authored by Orla O’ Donovan, MD, concluded that dietary and serum levels of lutein and zeaxanthin are significantly and positively related to macular pigment optical density but inversely related to body fat. The study claims that all results support the theory that a relative lack of macular pigment, or serum lutein and/or zeaxanthin, may underlie the increased risk of age-related maculopathy progression.
The study looked at 100 healthy, white subjects between the ages of 22 and 60. Body fat composition was determined using dual energy X-ray absortiometry, calipers (skinfold thickness), bioelectric impedence absorptiometry and waist-hip ratio. In addition, patients were administered a food frequency questionnaire that assessed and quantified the dietary intake of lutein and zeaxanthin.
When adjusted for body fat, the association between macular pigment optical density and age was inverse and statistically significant.