Association between retinal vessel diameters and different types of diet

Abstract

AbstractPurpose To study the relationship between retinal vessel diameters and different types of diet.Methods The Inter99 study comprised an age‐ and sex‐stratified sample of 13,016 participants residing in 11 suburban municipalities of the south‐western part of Copenhagen County. Of 6784 subjects aged 30‐60 years who volunteered to participate in the main study, a subgroup of 970 subjects participated in the eye study. We investigated the relation between fundus photographic retinal vessel diameters and different types of diet (represented in scales, range 1‐9) as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Vessel diameters were expressed as central retinal artery equivalent diameter (CRAE), central retinal vein equivalent diameter (CRVE), and artery‐to‐vein diameter ratio (AVR). Data were analysed using multiple regression analysis.Results A significant association was found between CRAE and different types of diet (p=0.026), and between CRVE and different types of diet (p=0.001). After adjusting for age and blood pressure, which influence retinal vessel diameters, significant association between CRVE and different type of diet persisted, which was not the case in association between CRAE and different type of diet (p=0.234).Conclusion In the Inter99 study, retinal vessel diameters are associated with risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes, such are different types of diet.