Healthy diets, healthy hearing: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2002

Abstract

Objective A significant relationship between dietary nutrient intake and susceptibility to acquired hearing loss is emerging. Variability in the outcomes across studies is likely related to differences in the specific metrics used to quantify nutrient intake and hearing status. Most studies have used single nutrient analysis. Although this analysis is valuable, interactions between nutrients are increasingly recognized and could modify modeling of single nutrient effects. Therefore, we examined the potential relationship between diet and hearing using a metric of overall dietary quality. Design This cross-sectional analysis was based on Healthy Eating Index data and audiological thresholds. Study sample Data for adults between the ages of 20 to 69 years of age were drawn from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2002. Results Controlling for age, race/ethnicity, sex, education, diabetes, and noise exposure, we found a significant negative relationship (Wald F = 6.54, df = 4, 29; p ≤ 0.05) between dietary quality and thresholds at higher frequencies, where higher dietary quality was associated with lower hearing thresholds. There was no statistically significant relationship between dietary quality and threshold sensitivity at lower frequencies. Conclusions The current findings support an association between healthier eating and lower high frequency thresholds in adults.

Dietary habits and hearing

“…A correlation between high intake of lowmolecular carbohydrates and high frequency hearing loss is suggested. This supports the concept that the quality of the food is of importance for the hearing expressed by Spankovich & LePrell (2013) in the NHANES study. They reported a signifi cant negative relationship between dietary quality and thresholds at higher frequencies, where higher dietary quality was associated with lower hearing thresholds.…”

Associations between dietary quality, noise, and hearing: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1999–2002

“…dietary pattern. The approach used here takes advantage of the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) as an overall dietary quality metric, and extends our previous research (Spankovich & Le Prell, 2013) and the field as a whole (for detailed review, see Le Prell & Spankovich, 2013) by now explicitly assessing the potential interaction between diet and noise on hearing. Previous efforts to assess the relationship between hearing status and diet have failed to examine interaction of noise exposure history as part of the analysis, or they have adjusted for the effects of noise as part of a multivariate model.…”

“…These supplemented doses sharply contrast with dietary intake, and several prospective studies assessing the association of vitamin intake with hearing in the general population have not suggested benefit (Shargorodsky et al, 2010; Polanski & Cruz, 2013). However, multiple epidemiological studies suggest healthy eating habits which provide recommended nutrient intake amounts may confer some long-term benefit, with the specific nutrients and dietary components assessed varying across analyses (Gopinath et al, 2010b; Gopinath et al, 2011; Spankovich et al, 2011; Choi et al, 2013; Heine et al, 2013; Péneau et al, 2013; Spankovich & Le Prell, 2013). …”

Antioxidants and Their Effect on Stress-Induced Pathology in the Inner Ear

“…The cohort was derived from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES;. After the researchers controlled for age, race, ethnicity, sex, education, diabetes, and noise exposure, a strong negative correlation was found between an index score coinciding with a high-quality diet (high in antioxidants) and hearing thresholds at higher frequencies with no effect seen at lower ones (Spankovich and Le Prell 2013 ).…”