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Risk of
Eye Diseases and Blindness Rises with Weight
If you
need yet another reason to keep a close eye on your waistline, read on.
Obesity is already recognized as one of the leading preventable causes
of death from heart disease and diabetes, but it’s also a key
factor in sight loss, according to a recent report from the Royal
National Institute of the Blind (RNIB) in Britain. “Most
people wrongly assume that if they don't have any obvious problems with
their sight, everything must be fine," says RNIB eye health consultant
Barbara McLaughlan. "With the huge increase in obesity that we have
seen in recent years, many people are now jeopardizing their sight in
later life.”
The report
highlights the increased risk obese people (those who have a body mass
index, or BMI, of 30 or above) have of developing three major causes of
sight loss:
Age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), a condition affecting the retina, which is the leading cause of sight loss.
Diabetic retinopathy, a progressive blurring of vision developed by 60 percent of type 2 diabetes sufferers.
Cataracts, a clouding of the eye lens responsible for one in four cases ofsight loss in people over 75.
It states that obese people have doubled the risk of suffering ARMD and
cataracts, as well as 10 times the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
ARMD Can Worsen With Obesity
In addition to what the British researchers discovered, a study
published in the Archives of Ophthalmology found that if you have
already been diagnosed with ARMD, being overweight or obese could
increase the risk that the eye disease will worsen.
Approximately 30 percent of adults over age 75 have some degree of
macular degeneration, most a mild form of the disease; and more than
1.6 million Americans over age 60 have advanced macular degeneration,
according to the National Eye Institute. In fact, ARMD is the leading
cause of vision loss among older adults. In ARMD, the macula (a tiny
area of the retina that allows clear central vision) deteriorates over
time, making it increasingly difficult to focus on objects directly.
This affects a person’s ability to do crucial tasks, such as
reading and driving.
Risk factors for ARMD include smoking, high levels of unhealthy forms
of fat and low levels of antioxidants, according to the study’s
lead author, Dr. Johanna M. Seddon, an associate professor at Harvard
Medical School and director of the epidemiology unit at the
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. In the study, Dr. Seddon and her
colleagues followed about 260 patients over age 60 who had signs of
mild ARMD.
They found that those who were overweight or obese were more than twice
as likely than the thinner patients to have their macular degeneration
progress to the advanced stage of the disease during the
four-and-a-half year course of the study.
On the bright side, the researchers found that the patients who
performed vigorous exercise (such as brisk walking or jogging) at least
three times a week had a 25 percent reduction in the risk that their
disease would worsen.
Eating Fruit Can Help Save Your Eyesight
Fortunately, macular degeneration (or other serious eye problems for that matter) isn’t necessarily inevitable.
A recent study published in The Archives of Ophthalmology found that
adults who consumed three more servings of fruit a day had a 36 percent
decreased risk of developing ARMD. The research conducted at Brigham
and Women’s Hospital in Boston examined data from over 77,000
women and nearly 41,000 men who were followed for a period of 12 to 18
years as part of long-term studies tracking a variety of health issues.
“Because there are a limited number of treatment options for
age-related macular degeneration, clinicians and researchers have been
focused on identifying factors that reduce risk and can ultimately save
a person’s eyesight,” says Eunyoung Cho, lead author of the
study. These findings are significant in showing that the antioxidants
found primarily in fruits and vegetables can protect against
free-radical damage that can lead to ARMD. Indeed, studies have also
shown that antioxidant nutrients, such as carotenoids, vitamin C and
zinc, can reduce the risk of disease progression and vision loss,
according to Dr. Seddon.
Unfortunately, only 25 percent of Americans are consuming the
recommended five-plus servings of fruits and vegetables per day. With
more and more Americans living much longer, it is important to protect
our eyesight. Says Cho, “People are living longer, healthier
lives and age-related illnesses, such as blindness, can significantly
impact an otherwise healthy quality of life.” Adds McLaughlan of
the RNIB, “To safeguard sight we recommend people maintain a
healthy weight, eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, exercise to
improve general health, don't smoke and most importantly have regular
eye tests.”
All vision loss – great or small – can affect your
independence and quality of life. But I believe God has provided us
with everything we need to protect our precious vision. Based on my 30
years of medical practice and research, I’ve formulated Vision
Support. Vision Support contains the 17 natural vitamins, minerals,
herbs, extracts and other nutrients I recommend to help maintain
healthy eyesight. So if you’re concerned about preserving and
protecting your vision, take a simple step by giving your eyes the
abundant nutrition found in Vision Support.
by Dr. Reginald B. Cherry, M.D.
Source: Christian Post
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