(P17-017-25) The Association Between the Dietary Ketogenic Ratio and Glaucoma: Evidence From the NHANES 2005–2008 Cohort

Objectives: Glaucoma, a complex eye disease characterized by damage to the optic nerve, affects over four million Americans and is a leading cause of vision loss and permanent blindness worldwide. Recent research has sought to elucidate factors that affect features of the disease, including metabolic and mitochondrial dysfunction and reactive oxygen species-induced damage. The ketogenic diet, characterized by a low intake of carbohydrates and a high intake of fat, has been shown to increase mitochondrial biogenesis and decrease the generation of reactive oxygen species, suggesting that this diet could attenuate factors associated with glaucoma. The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between the Dietary Ketogenic Ratio (DKR) and glaucoma.

Methods: Dietary and glaucoma data were collected from the 2005-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Each participant’s DKR was calculated using a 24-hour recall. Glaucoma status was defined as positive if retinal imaging indicated “possible,” “probable,” or “definitive” glaucoma in either eye. Multiple logistic regression models were used to examine the association between DKR and glaucoma. Participants in the first quartile were used as the reference group.

Results: Six hundred and ninety-eight participants were included in the final sample. 38.5% of participants had possible or probable glaucoma and 7.88% had definite glaucoma. The average DKR was 0.24 (SD: 0.04), 0.32 (SD: 0.02), 0.38 (SD: 0.02), and 0.50 (SD: 0.07) in the first, second, third, and fourth quartiles, respectively. In both unadjusted and adjusted models, the odds of positive glaucoma status were lower in the second (adjusted Odds Ratio (OR): 0.62, p < 0.05), third (adjusted OR: 0.86 p > 0.05), and fourth quartiles (adjusted OR: 0.72, p > 0.05) compared to the reference group.

Conclusions: These findings suggest a potential relationship between the dietary ketogenic ratio and glaucoma, with a greater protective effect against glaucoma observed among those with a moderate DKR near 0.32 in the second quartile. Future research with larger sample sizes is needed to better understand the impact of the ketogenic diet on glaucoma.

Funding Sources: None