(c) Univ of Buffalo |
The condition is called late-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is an irreversible condition that affects a person’s central vision, taking away their ability to drive, among other common daily activities.
Shruti Dighe (c) Univ of Buffalo |
It turns out that a Western dietary pattern, one defined as high in consumption of red and processed meat, fried food, refined grains and high-fat dairy, may be a risk factor for developing late AMD. However, a Western diet was not associated with development of early AMD in the study published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.
(c) Wikipedia |
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“What we observed in this study was that people who had no AMD or early AMD at the start of our study and reported frequently consuming unhealthy foods were more likely to develop vison-threatening, late-stage disease approximately 18 years later,” says Amy Millen, the study’s senior author and associate professor and associate chair of the Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health.
This U.S.-based study is one of the first examining dietary patterns and development of AMD over time. The other studies were conducted in European cohorts.
Early AMD is asymptomatic, meaning that people often don’t know they have it. To catch it, a physician would have to review a photo of the person’s retina, looking for pigmentary changes and development of drusen, or yellow deposits made up of lipids. With late AMD, there could be either atrophy or a buildup of new blood vessels in the part of the eye known as the macula.
“When people start developing these changes, they will begin to notice visual symptoms. Their vision will start diminishing,” Dighe says. “This is advanced or late-stage AMD.”
But not everyone who has early AMD progresses to the more debilitating late stage.
To date, most research has been conducted on specific nutrients — such as high-dose antioxidants — that seem to have a protective effect. But, Dighe explains, people consume a variety of foods and nutrients, not just one or two, and that’s why looking at dietary patterns helps tell more of the story.
“Our work provides additional evidence that diet matters,” Millen adds. “From a public health standpoint, we can tell people that if you have early AMD, it is likely in your best interest to limit your intake of processed meat, fried food, refined grains and high-fat dairy to preserve your vision over time.”
Source: This article is written by David J Hill for University at Buffalo Research News.
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