It’s high in fruits and vegetables, olive oil, fish, nuts, lean meat and whole grains.
New research suggests that the Mediterranean might lower the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration by 39 percent, the American Optometric Association reports.
The diet is “rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, olive oil, fish, nuts, lean meat and whole grains,” AOA notes.
AOA quoted Susan Summerton, O.D., certified nutritionist specialist with the Ocular Nutrition and Wellness Society who practices optometry in Florida, discussing the findings.
“Previous studies focused on the food and exercise part but we know AMD is multifactorial and the Mediterranean diet is also a lifestyle,” she said. “Some other lifestyle factors such as getting out in nature, getting a good night sleep, coming together with family and friends over a home-cooked meal and lower levels of chronic stress are also potential preventative health payoffs.”
Age-related macular degeneration has been identified as the leading cause of severe vision loss among U.S. adults over age 50, AOA notes.
The research was presented at the 2018 annual meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.
The study was conducted by researchers at the international consortium EYE-RISK. Results were based “were based on questionnaires from about 5,000 participants in two previous studies, the Rotterdam and Alienor research projects, that looked at the links between aging, disease (including degenerative eye diseases) and nutrition,” AOA explains.
Read more at AOA