Healthy Lifestyle not only Promotes Good Cardiovascular Health, but also Enhances Eye Health, Study Suggests

Dec, 2020 - By SMI

According a new study by the researchers of Texas Tech University Health Sciences have reported that good cardiovascular health resulting from healthy lifestyle is also related to improved eye health especially diabetic retinopathy. Researchers also suggest that these interventions in prevention of cardiovascular diseases also aids in averting ocular diseases.

Duke Appiah, lead investigator, PhD, MPH, Department of Public Health, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, stated, "Earlier studies have observed associations between eye diseases and individual lifestyle factors such as smoking, obesity, or hypertension. It is known that these metrics of ideal cardiovascular health do not work alone and may interact additively to result in diseases. However, prior to our research, no other studies have comprehensively evaluated the association of all of the metrics of ideal cardiovascular health with ocular diseases.”

It is evident that majority of the ocular diseases exhibit few symptoms at initial stages for which many people do not seek medical care, although there are readily available treatments. This research study reported that healthy lifestyle results in good cardiovascular health and also reduces the risk of age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, cataract, and glaucoma. Researchers also observed that individual with ideal cardiovascular health has 97% lower risk for diabetic retinopathy, in comparison with individuals with poor cardiovascular health.

In this research study, researchers assessed data of 6,118 participants aged 40 or above who were a part of 2005-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The mean age of all the participants was 57 years old, of which 53% were women. It was observed that one unit upsurge in LS7(LS7 is based on the eminence of seven cardiovascular disease risk factors, which include no smoking, consistent physical activity, healthy diet, normal weight, and regulated cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood glucose levels) scores reduced risks for, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, and glaucoma.