Lower dairy products and calcium intake is associated with adverse retinal vascular changes in older adults

Background and aims: Higher consumption of dairy products and calcium is likely to play a role in maintaining optimal vascular health. In this study, we aimed to explore the as- sociations between consumption of total-, regular- and low-fat dairy foods, and total calcium intake with retinal vascular caliber. Methods and results: 2813 Blue Mountains Eye Study participants aged 50þ years had dietary data collected using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, and serves of dairy consumption were calculated. Fundus photographs were taken and retinal vascular caliber measured using computer-assisted techniques and summarized. After adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, smoking, mean arterial blood pressure, serum glucose, white cell count, his- tory of diagnosed hypertension, stroke and coronary heart disease, plus retinal arteriolar caliber, participants in the lowest quintile of total dairy consumption compared to those in the remaining highest 4 quintiles had significantly wider retinal venular caliber, 227.2 versus 224.7 mm, respectively (multivariable-adjusted p Z 0.002). Also, subjects in the lowest quin- tile of low-fat dairy product consumption versus those in the remaining quintiles of low-fat dairy intake had wider retinal venules (w1.7 mm, p Z 0.03) and narrower retinal arterioles (w1.4 mm, p Z 0.04). Participants in the lowest quintile versus highest quintile of total dietary calcium intake had w2.3 mm wider retinal venules (multivariable-adjusted p-trend Z 0.02). Conclusions: A significant association was observed between lower intake of dairy products or calcium and adverse retinal vascular signs. We cannot discount the possibility of confounding from unmeasured risk factors; hence, further studies are warranted to confirm these findings. a 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.