Association between Nutrition and Likelihood of Myopia among Children in Eslamshahr

A number of papers have reported an association between diet and myopia. This study compared the nutritional intake and some simple body measurements in a group of children who were myopic to those of a group، who were not myopic.

The nutritional data for 169 subjects who developed myopia between the ages of 7 and 9 years were compared with data for 180 subjects who were not myopic. Dietary intake was assessed by a semi-quantitative 67-item food frequency questionnaire. T-test was used for data analysis.

Weight، height and BMI were 31. 6±8. 1 (mean±SD)، 132. 3±7. 5 and 17. 8±3. 2، respectively of the myopic children 54 (54%)، and of the controls، 45 (45. 5%) were overweight. Children who developed myopia had a generally higher intake of many of the food components than children who were not myopic. Differences were statistically significant for energy intake، protein، fat، and carbohydrate (p<0. 05). Myopic children consumed more sugar، fruit، rice، pasta، egg، dry fruit and snackes than did the subjects who were not myopic (p<0. 05).

Children with myopia were more obese than the control group and consumed high carbohydrate foods such as pasta، sugar and dry fruits.