Med Diet Plus Exercise May Prevent Eye Disease

Age related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss in older adults, mostly occurring in those over 60 years old. To see if eating patterns play a role in this disease, researchers analyzed the diet of nearly 900 Portuguese adults (ages 55+), half with AMD, and half without. Those without AMD ate foods more closely aligned with the Mediterranean diet (grains, green leafy vegetables, fruit, and olive oil) than those who did have AMD. The group without AMD also exercised more, and ate less fast food, meat, dairy, and ready-made meals. This study suggests that a Mediterranean style diet, along with exercise, may be protective against AMD.
Presentation at the European Society of Retina Specialists 15th EURETINA Congress. Nice, France. September 17, 2015. (Farina C et al.)