Dietary carotenoids, vitamin E reduce the risk of cataract in women, study suggests

Higher dietary consumption of lutein/zeaxanthin and vitamin E may significantly reduce the risk of developing cataract in women, according to a long-term study by researchers in Boston.

Using a food frequency questionnaire, William G. Christen, ScD, and colleagues at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School collected data on baseline dietary intakes for 35,551 women who worked as health professionals and had no previous diagnosis of cataract. Investigators examined the relationship between dietary intake of carotenoids, vitamin C and vitamin E and the risk of cataract, and they compared diets between women who did and did not develop cataracts, according to the study.

At 10 years mean follow-up, researchers confirmed 2,031 cases of incident cataract.

Women who consumed the most lutein/zeaxanthin - about 6,716 µg per day - had an 18% lower risk of developing cataract compared with those who consumed the least - about 1,777 µg per day, according to a press release announcing the study's findings.

Additionally, participants who consumed the highest amount of vitamin E - about 262.4 mg per day - had a 14% lower risk of developing cataract compared with participants who consumed the least - about 4.4 mg per day, the release said.

The study is published in the January issue of Archives of Ophthalmology.