Accumulated weight around the waist (abdominal fat) may be linked to an increased risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is the most common cause of loss of vision and blindness in adults.
A recent study published in the Archives of Ophthalmology examined the association between changes in the waist-to-hip ratio (a measure of abdominal obesity) and risk of AMD. A total of 12,515 people aged 45 to 64 were followed over six years.
Researchers found that a higher waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) was associated with elevated risk of AMD.
The good news is that study participants who reduced their WHR generally saw a reduction in risk of AMD. Overall, a 3 per cent or more decrease in WHR was associated with a 29 per cent reduced risk of AMD. The effect was greatest among those participants classified as obese: a decrease in WHR was associated with 59% lower odds of AMD.
Researchers concluded that middle-aged people who had a 3% or greater reduction in WHR over time were less likely to have AMD, particularly among those who were initially obese.
Learn more about Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)
SOURCE: Peeters, et al. Changes in Abdominal Obesity and Age-Related Macular Degeneration: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, Arch Ophthalmol. 2008;126(11):1554-1560