Relation of Dietary Fatty Acids and Vitamin D to the Prevalence of Meibomian Gland Dysfunction in Japanese Adults: The Hirado-Takushima Study

Shima Fukuoka; Reiko Arita; Takanori Mizoguchi; Motoko Kawashima; Shizuka Koh; Rika Shirakawa; Takashi Suzuki; Satoshi Sasaki; Naoyuki Morishige

doi:10.3390/jcm10020350

Relation of Dietary Fatty Acids and Vitamin D to the Prevalence of Meibomian Gland Dysfunction in Japanese Adults: The Hirado-Takushima Study

J Clin Med. 2021 Jan 18;10(2):350. doi: 10.3390/jcm10020350.

Authors

Shima Fukuoka^{1

2

3}, Reiko Arita^{1

4}, Takanori Mizoguchi^{1

5}, Motoko Kawashima^{1

6}, Shizuka Koh^{1

7}, Rika Shirakawa^{1

3}, Takashi Suzuki^{1

8}, Satoshi Sasaki⁹, Naoyuki Morishige^{1

10}

Affiliations

¹ Lid and Meibomian Gland Working Group (LIME), 626-11 Minami-Nakano, Minumaku, Saitama, Saitama 337-0042, Japan.
² Omiya Hamada Eye Clinic, 1-169-1 Sakuragicho, Omiyaku, Saitama 330-0854, Japan.
³ Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyoku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
⁴ Department of Ophthalmology, Itoh Clinic, 626-11 Minami-Nakano, Minumaku, Saitama, Saitama 337-0042, Japan.
⁵ Mizoguchi Eye Clinic, 6-13 Tawaramachi, Sasebo, Nagasaki 857-0016, Japan.
⁶ Department of Ophthalmology, Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjukuku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan.
⁷ Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University, 2-15 Yamadaoka, Suita 565-0871, Japan.
⁸ Department of Ophthalmology, Toho University Omori Medical Center, 6-11-1 Omorinishi, Otaku, Tokyo 143-8541, Japan.
⁹ Department of Social and Preventive Epidemiology, School of Public Health, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyoku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
¹⁰ Division of Cornea and Ocular Surface, Ohshima Eye Hospital 11-8 Kamigofukumachi, Hakataku, Fukuoka 812-0036, Japan.

Abstract

Intervention studies have shown that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation is effective for the treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). Ointment containing an analog of vitamin D has also been found to improve symptoms and signs of MGD. We have now evaluated the relation of MGD prevalence to dietary intake of fatty acids (FAs) and vitamin D among a Japanese population. Subjects comprised 300 adults aged 20 to 92 years residing on Takushima Island. MGD was diagnosed on the basis of subjective symptoms, lid margin abnormalities, and meibomian gland obstruction. Dietary FA and vitamin D intake was estimated with a brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire. MGD prevalence was 35.3%. Multivariate adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) between extreme quintiles of intake for MGD prevalence were 0.40 (0.16-0.97) for total fat, 0.40 (0.17-0.97) for saturated FAs, 0.40 (0.17-0.97) for oleic acid, 0.52 (0.23-1.18) for n-3 PUFAs, 0.63 (0.27-1.49) for n-6 PUFAs, 1.32 (0.59-2.95) for the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio, and 0.38 (0.17-0.87) for vitamin D. Total fat, saturated FA, oleic acid, and vitamin D intake may thus be negatively associated with MGD prevalence in the Japanese.

Keywords: Japanese; brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire; fatty acids; meibomian gland dysfunction; vitamin D.