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Correlation between omega-3 intake and the incidence of diabetic retinopathy based on NHANES from 2005 to 2008

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Abstract

Aims

To identify correlations between omega-3 intake and incidence of diabetic retinopathy (DR).

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study using data from participants over age 40 in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005–2008. Metrics included participants’ intake of omega-3 fatty acids, specifically three types of representative polyunsaturated fatty acids, DR prevalence, and demographic characteristics. Multiple logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship between omega-3 intake and DR.

Results

Of the 1243 participants included in this study, omega-3 intake was lower in patients with DR relative to those without DR. Of the three polyunsaturated fatty acids within the omega-3 fatty acid family that we focused on, participants without DR consumed more docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) than those with DR. In contrast, there was no significant difference in the intake of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Higher omega-3 intake was associated with a decreased risk of DR. In a crude model, the odds ratio (OR) was 0.548 (95% CI 0.315, 0.951; p = 0.033). In the fully adjusted model of omega-3 (model II), the adjusted OR was 0.525 (95% CI 0.306, 0.901; p = 0.021). DPA and DHA were also associated with a decreased risk of DR. In the full adjustment model (model II) of DPA and DHA, the adjusted ORs were 0.0002 (95% CI 0.000, 0.166; p = 0.014) and 0.293 (95% CI 0.105, 0.819; p = 0.020). Subgroup analysis showed that the protective effect of omega-3 against DR was more significant in younger patients (p value = 0.015).

Conclusions

In this cross-sectional study of the U.S. general population, we found that increased intake of omega-3 and its components, specifically DPA and DHA were negatively associated with DR incidence. This suggests that omega-3 may be a potential protective factor for DR and may help to prevent or delay the onset and progression of DR.

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Funding

This study was supported by the Guangzhou Science and Technology Project (No.201804010038), Natural Science Foundation Project of Guangdong Province (No. 2020A1515010276).

Author information

Author notes

  1. Jingyu Zhang, Huangdong Li, and Qian Deng authors have contributed equally and should be considered as co-first authors.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ophthalmic Center, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510260, Guangdong, China

    Jingyu Zhang, Huangdong Li, Qian Deng, Wangjian Qiu, Li Wang, Zheng Xiang, Ruiming Yang, Jiamian Liang & Zhiping Liu

  2. Zhejiang Provincal People’s Hospital Bijie Hospital, Bijie, 551700, Guizhou, China

    Qian Deng

  3. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA

    Amy Michelle Huang

  4. Department of Ophthalmology, Shenzhen Songgang District People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, 518105, China

    Wangjian Qiu

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  1. Jingyu Zhang
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Contributions

All authors have approved the final version of the manuscript. JZ and ZL designed the study; HL, QD, AH, WQ, LW, ZX, RY, JL, participated in data collection, analysis and interpretation; JZ, HL, and ZL drafted the manuscript. This manuscript has not been submitted for publication in another journal. We had full access to all the data in the study and take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhiping Liu.

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The authors report no conflicts of financial or non-financial interest. No authors have any proprietary interest in any materials or methods.

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In accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey protocols were approved by the research ethics review board at the National Center for Health Statistics.

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All participants provided written informed consent.

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Zhang, J., Li, H., Deng, Q. et al. Correlation between omega-3 intake and the incidence of diabetic retinopathy based on NHANES from 2005 to 2008. Acta Diabetol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00592-024-02267-4

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