Cataracts and Body Size

Researchers at Harvard have established a possible connection between body size and cataracts by going over a study taken of 17,150 male doctors from 1982 and 1997.

It was found that the doctors in the study, who were heavy, carried extra fat around the middle or were over 6 feet tall showed increased risks of developing cataracts.

For the “weight-cataract connection,” obese people are more likely to develop gout — an arthritic condition that has been linked to cataract risk — as well as a pre-disposition to developing diabetes, which hastens cataract formation.

As for the height-cataract connection, it may be the result of a genetic predisposition to being both taller and for developing cataracts. And having abdominal fat can alter the body’s metabolism, which eventually can affect proteins in the lens of the eye.

The study didn’t track the physicians’ intake of lutein and zeaxanthin (two compounds in fruits and vegetables) that have shown in some studies to decrease cataract risk (Source: Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, February 2001). 

The Visionary, published as a service of the Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness,
is available upon request. The information contained in this issue,
taken from sources considered to be accurate,
does not replace the need for professional eye care consultations and treatments.

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