RESUMEN
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 semiquantitative 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
RESUMEN
Increasing in prevalence of juvenile myopia in recent decades in eastern and western countries, especially in urban elementary school children, suggests that changing in early life style may play an important role in development of myopia. Our aim was to determine the relationships between myopia and overweight in elementary school children of Eslamshahr a city near Tehran, Iran. In a case control study, 240 new myopic primary school children [grade 2-4] identified as cases and 240 children without myopia in the same schools enrolled as control group. Anthropometric information was completed from schools'. Other information about pre-entrancing to school was collected by interviewing their parents. Children having a Body mass index BMI>=85th CDC2000 percentile were identified as overweight. Adjusted odds ratio for overweight was estimated after adjusting other potential risk factors. Of total 53.3% were girls. 23.8% of children in case group and 10.1% of them in control group were categorized in overweight group. After adjusting for other potential risk factors [family history, breast milk intake, near works, mother's job and financial position] being overweight was independently associated to myopia [OR: 3.10, 95% CI: 1.9-5.03]. It is concluded that overweight in children in preschool age, is independently associated with increased risk of myopia in primary school children. Therefore health promotion programs in order to change of the life style in this group of children should be considered