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Physical activity level may be associated with risk of age-related cataract
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High long-term levels of physical activity were associated with a reduced risk of age-related cataract, according to a large study conducted in Sweden.
The prospective population-based cohort study included 52,660 subjects between the ages of 45 and 83 years who had participated in the Swedish Mammography Cohort and the Cohort of Swedish Men.
Investigators used a self-administered questionnaire to assess physical activity. Questions on physical activity addressed frequency and duration of walking, bicycling, leisure time exercise, work or occupational activity, home or housework, and inactive leisure activity.
Data on cataract diagnosis and extraction were also evaluated. Participants with a history of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or cataract diagnosis or extraction before baseline were excluded from the study.
Age, smoking status, education level, obesity and hypertension were also evaluated.
Mean follow-up was 12.1 years.
There were 11,580 cases of age-related cataract. Adjusted data showed that the highest quartile of physical activity correlated significantly with a 13% decreased risk of cataract compared with the lowest quartile.
Walking or bicycling more than 60 minutes daily reduced cataract risk by 12%. Heavy manual labor reduced the risk by 16%.
There was no correlation between frequent exercise and home or housework and cataract risk.
More than 6 hours of leisure time inactivity daily increased the risk of cataract by 27%.
Disclosure: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
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