TABLE 4.
Age- and multivariable-adjusted RRs (95% CIs) of hearing loss according to cumulative average fatty acid intake in 65,521 women followed from 1991 to 2009
| Quintile of cumulative average fatty acid intake |
||||||
| Characteristic | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | P-trend |
| Total omega-3 PUFAs | ||||||
| Median intake (g/d)1 | 0.80 | 0.99 | 1.15 | 1.33 | 1.64 | |
| No. of cases | 2330 | 2416 | 2491 | 2325 | 2044 | |
| Person-years | 204,049 | 214,601 | 218,195 | 208,165 | 193,082 | |
| Age adjusted | 1.00 (reference) | 0.94 (0.88, 0.99) | 0.93 (0.88, 0.99) | 0.89 (0.84, 0.95) | 0.83 (0.86, 0.97) | <0.001 |
| Multivariable adjusted2 | 1.00 (reference) | 0.95 (0.89, 1.00) | 0.95 (0.90, 1.01) | 0.93 (0.87, 0.99) | 0.88 (0.82, 0.95) | <0.001 |
| α-Linolenic acid | ||||||
| Median intake (g/d)1 | 0.65 | 0.79 | 0.91 | 1.07 | 1.35 | |
| No. of cases | 2115 | 2252 | 2442 | 2383 | 2414 | |
| Person-years | 196,251 | 207,813 | 214,944 | 212,536 | 206,549 | |
| Age adjusted | 1.00 (reference) | 0.96 (0.91, 1.02) | 0.98 (0.93, 1.04) | 0.95 (0.90, 1.01) | 0.97 (0.96, 1.08) | 0.26 |
| Multivariable adjusted2 | 1.00 (reference) | 0.98 (0.92, 1.04) | 1.00 (0.94, 1.07) | 0.97 (0.91, 1.04) | 1.00 (0.92, 1.03) | 0.44 |
| Long-chain omega-3 PUFAs (DHA + EPA)3 | ||||||
| Median intake (g/d)1 | 0.06 | 0.10 | 0.15 | 0.25 | 0.39 | |
| No. of cases | 2694 | 2611 | 2420 | 2346 | 1635 | |
| Person-years | 214,147 | 215,515 | 218,016 | 208,735 | 181,681 | |
| Age adjusted | 1.00 (reference) | 0.96 (0.91, 1.02) | 0.88 (0.84, 0.93) | 0.88 (0.83, 0.93) | 0.78 (0.74, 0.83) | <0.001 |
| Multivariable adjusted2 | 1.00 (reference) | 0.96 (0.91, 1.02) | 0.92 (0.87, 0.98) | 0.95 (0.90, 1.01) | 0.85 (0.80, 0.91) | <0.001 |
At baseline, 1991.
Cox proportional hazards regression was used, and the models were adjusted for age; BMI; waist circumference; smoking; intakes of alcohol, folate, vitamin B-12, potassium, magnesium, and vitamin A (retinol activity equivalents); race; history of hypertension, diabetes, and tinnitus; use of aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen; physical activity; calories; and the other omega-3 fatty acids.
For long-chain omega-3 PUFAs (DHA + EPA), the multivariable-adjusted RR for decile 9 (median intake 0.34 g/d) = 0.91 (95% CI: 0.84, 0.98), and the multivariable-adjusted RR for decile 10 (median intake 0.49 g/d) = 0.78 (95% CI: 0.72, 0.85).