04 Oct Long Term Physical Activity May Decrease Cataract Risk
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Jinjin Zheng Selin, MSc
Unit of Nutritional Epidemiology
Institute of Environmental Medicine
Karolinska Institutet Stockholm Sweden
Medical Research: What are the main findings of the study?
Response: Our results suggest that higher levels of total physical activity, especially in the long-term, as well as specific types of physical activity including walking/bicycling and work/occupational activity, may be associated with decreased risk of age-related cataract among middle-aged and elderly women and men. On the other side, high levels of leisure time inactivity may be associated with increased risk of cataract.
Medical Research: What was most surprising about the results?
Response: In this study, we did not observe a protective association between exercise and risk of cataract, which may suggest that being physically active on a regular daily basis (e.g. walking/bicycling) may contribute more to the protection against cataract development than short weekly episodes of exercising/training.
Medical Research: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?
Response: That high levels of physical activity (e g increased levels of walking/bicycling and reduced leisure time inactivity) and especially in the long-term may, in addition to having other health benefits, be associated with decreased risk of cataract.
Medical Research: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?
Response: Our results should be confirmed by other studies examining the relationship between physical activity and risk of cataract in other populations.
Citation:
Long-Term Physical Activity and Risk of Age-Related Cataract
A Population-Based Prospective Study of Male and Female Cohorts
Manuscript no. 2014-328.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2014.08.023
Last Updated on November 10, 2014 by Marie Benz MD FAAD