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Adherence to Mediterranean diet can reduce risk of AMD
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CHICAGO — Adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet, namely through increased consumption of fruits, can significantly reduce the risks of developing age-related macular degeneration, according to a speaker here.
Joao Figueira, MD, PhD, reported results from the Coimbra Eye Study, a lifestyle and food habits questionnaire in the Portuguese population, at an American Academy of Ophthalmology press briefing here.
Joao Figueira
“Our analysis was remarkable for possible protective effects associated with the increased consumption of caffeine, not previously reported, as well as dietary fibers and vitamins C and E,” Figueira said.
The cross-sectional, observational study included 883 subjects 55 years and older. The cohort was split into those with early AMD (449 subjects) and those without early AMD (434 subjects). A questionnaire was administered to the entire cohort, which included demographic questions, food frequency in the last year, smoking habits, drinking habits and other biometrics, he said.
It was found that a “high adhesion” to the Mediterranean diet reduced the AMD risk by 1.56 and was associated with a smaller frequency of AMD. In addition, fruit consumption statistically significantly reduced the risk of AMD by 1.12 and by about 15% (P = .029), Figueira said.
“For the first time, we find that the presence of caffeine could have a protective effect in the prevalence of AMD,” he said. – by Robert Linnehan
Disclosure: Figueira reports no relevant financial disclosures.