Dietary factors, myopia, and axial dimensions in children

Purpose: To evaluate the possible associations between dietary factors and myopia.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Participants: Eight hundred fifty-one Chinese schoolchildren from the Singapore Cohort Study of Risk Factors for Myopia.

Methods: Diet was assessed using a semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire. Spherical equivalent (SE) refraction was assessed with an autorefractometer, and axial length (AL) by contact ultrasound A-scan biometry.

Main outcome measures: Myopia was defined as SE< or =-0.5 diopters (D). Spherical equivalent and AL were analyzed by quartile groups.

Results: The mean age (+/-standard deviation) was 12.81+/-0.83 years, approximately half were male (422 children [49.6%]), and 653 (73.8%) children had myopia. In multivariate models, AL was longest in the highest quartile group of total cholesterol intake compared with the lowest (adjusted mean [95% confidence interval], 24.66 [24.62-24.71] mm vs. 24.32 [24.27-24.36] mm; P = 0.026, for trend) and was longest in the highest quartile group of saturated fat intake compared with the lowest (24.65 [24.60-24.70] vs. 24.36 [24.32-24.41] mm; P = 0.039, for trend). None of the nutrients was associated with SE or a diagnosis of myopia.

Conclusions: Higher saturated fat and cholesterol intake are associated with longer AL in otherwise healthy Singapore Chinese schoolchildren.