Macular pigment optical density in a midwestern sample

Objective: To assess the distribution of the macular pigments (MPs) lutein (L) and zeaxanthin (Z) in a healthy sample more representative of the gener al population than past studies and to determine which dietary factors and personal characteristics might explain the large interindividual difference s in the density of these MPs, Design: Prevalence study in a self-selected population, Participants: Two hundred eighty healthy adult volunteers, consisting of 13 8 men and 142 women, between the ages of 18 and 50 years, recruited from th e general population. Methods: MP optical density was measured psychophysically at 460 nm by use of a 1 degrees test field. Serum was analyzed for carotenoid and vitamin E content with reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Usual i ntakes of nutrients over the past year were determined by means of a food f requency questionnaire, Main Outcome Measures: MP optical density, Results: Mean MP optical density measured 0.211 +/- 0.13, which is approxim ately 40% lower than the average reported in smaller, less representative s tudies, MP density was 44% lower in the bottom versus the top quintile of s erum L and Z concentrations. Similarly, MP density was 33% lower in the bot tom compared with the top quintile of L and Z intake. MP density was 19% lo wer in blue-grey-eyed subjects than in subjects with brown-black irises, Wh en all variables were considered together in a general linear model of dete rminants of MP, statistically significant (P < 0.05) relationships were fou nd between MP density and serum L and Z, dietary L and Z intake, fiber inta ke, and iris color, Conclusions: These data suggest that MP values in this healthy adult popula tion are lower than in smaller select samples. Moreover, these data indicat e that MP is related to serum L and Z, dietary L and Z intake, fiber intake , and iris color. <(c)> 2001 by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.