Thursday, July 17, 2014

Eat More Fish to Lower AMD Risk

How should Birmingham residents combat Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD? Eat lots of fish! (AMD) is a common cause of vision loss in seniors. Recently, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found that the disease may be associated with a high dietary fat intake. The results of their study found that eating fish, such as tuna, four times a week, may reduce the risk of macular degeneration. The subjects of the study were participants in the Nurses’ Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study who did not have AMD at when the study commenced. After 12 years of follow-up, 567 people with a visual loss of 20/30 or worse were identified. Fat intake was assessed with a food frequency questionnaire. 

The study found:

·         Those patients whose total dietary fat intake was in the highest quintile had over one and a half times the risk of AMD as those whose fat intake was in the lowest quintile,
·         Linolenic acid consumption was directly associated with the risk of AMD,
·         High intake of docosahexaenoic acid was associated with a modest reduction in the risk of AMD.
·         Those who ate four or more servings of fish a week were at a 35% lower risk of AMD when compared to those who ate fewer than three servings of fish a week.

They added that a high intake of fish, a rich source of docosahexaenoic acid, may reduce this risk. Thus, the researchers concluded that dietary fat intake was associated with an increased risk of age related macular degeneration (AMD) and that this may have been due to the presence of Linolenic acid in the fat.

If you or someone you know has a family history of age related macular degeneration or wishes to learn more about their risk of AMD, please call 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center or www.facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.

Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham located at UAB-Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205