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Updated: Jul 19, 2025
Measuring Oral Fatty Acid Thresholds, Fat Perception, Fatty Food Liking, and Papillae Density in Humans
Published on: June 4, 2014
Association between nineteen dietary fatty acids and hearing thresholds: findings from a nationwide survey
Xiaojin Zhang1, Qin Luo2, Zhicheng Huang3
1Department of Otolaryngology, The Affiliated Nanhua Hospital, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, China.
Introduction:
Hearing loss is a prevalent health concern, and dietary factors, such as fatty acid intake, may play a role in its development. The current study aimed to investigate the association between the intake of dietary fatty acids and hearing thresholds among U.S. adults.
Methods:
The researchers examined data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), including 7,623 participants with available dietary fatty acid intake and audiometry data. Dietary fatty acid intake was assessed using dietary recalls, and hearing thresholds were measured using pure-tone audiometry. Multivariate linear regression models and smoothing curve fitting were utilized to explore the associations between dietary fatty acid intake and hearing thresholds, adjusting for relevant covariates.
Results:
This study reveals a direct association between both low and high frequency pure tone average (PTA) hearing thresholds and the dietary intake of total saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Conversely, the intake of total monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) demonstrates an inverted U-shaped correlation with low-frequency and high-frequency PTA hearing thresholds, having inflection points at 11.91 (energy (%)) and 10.88 (energy (%)), respectively.
Conclusion:
Dietary intake of certain fatty acids may influence hearing thresholds in adults.
