Associations between dietary indices and hearing status among middle-older aged adults - results from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

Authors

Yichen Jin, Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States.
Toshiko Tanaka, Longitudinal Studies Section, Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Nicholas S. Reed, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States; Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Katherine L. Tucker, Department of Biomedical and Nutrition Sciences and Center for Population Health, University of Massachusetts Lowell, Lowell, MA, United States.
Luigi Ferrucci, Longitudinal Studies Section, Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, United States.
Sameera A. Talegawkar, Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, United States. Electronic address: sameera.talegawkar@alumni.tufts.edu.

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

3-5-2024

Journal

The American journal of clinical nutrition

DOI

10.1016/j.ajcnut.2024.03.001

Keywords

AHEI; HEI; MIND diet; Mediterranean style diet; diet; hearing; pure-tone audiometry

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Hearing loss, a public health issue in older populations, is closely related to functional decline. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the longitudinal associations between 4 dietary indices and hearing status. METHODS: Data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging were used and included 882 participants ≥45 y of age. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire, and 4 dietary scores (Mediterranean-Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay diet [MIND], Mediterranean style diet score [MDS], Alternative Healthy Eating Index [AHEI], and Healthy Eating Index [HEI]) were calculated as averages over time. Hearing status was examined using pure-tone audiometry, and pure-tone average (PTA) of hearing thresholds were calculated at speech-level (PTA), low (PTA), and high (PTA) frequencies, with lower thresholds indicating better hearing. Multivariable linear mixed-effect models were used to examine associations between dietary indices and hearing threshold change over time adjusted for confounders. RESULTS: At baseline, the mean age of participants was 67 y and 55% were female. Over a median of 8 y of follow-up, MDS ≥7 was associated with 3.5 (95% CI: -6.5, -0.4) and 5.0 (95% CI: -9.1, -1.0) dB lower PTA and PTA, respectively, compared with MDS ≤3; the highest tertile of the AHEI was associated with 2.3 (95% CI: -4.6, -0.1) and 5.0 (95% CI: -8.0, -2.0) dB lower PTA and PTA; and each standard deviation increment in HEI was associated with 1.6 dB (95% CI: -2.7, -0.6), 1.1 dB (95% CI: -2.1, -0.1), and 2.1 dB (95% CI: -3.5, -0.6) lower PTA, PTA, and PTA, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Adherence to healthy dietary patterns was associated with better hearing status, with stronger associations at high frequencies. Am J Clin Nutr 20xx;x:xx.

APA Citation

Jin, Yichen; Tanaka, Toshiko; Reed, Nicholas S.; Tucker, Katherine L.; Ferrucci, Luigi; and Talegawkar, Sameera A., "Associations between dietary indices and hearing status among middle-older aged adults - results from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging" (2024). GW Authored Works. Paper 4561.
https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/gwhpubs/4561

Department

Exercise and Nutrition Sciences