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Obesity, smoking combined lead to blindness

Respiratory Care Weekly, July 5, 2006

Seniors' odds of developing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of irreversible visual impairment and blindness among people aged 60 and older, significantly increases with smoking or with high body mass index, one study found. Obese people who smoke multiply their risk of AMD, according to the study published online in Human Heredity. While researchers believe the condition is hereditary, smoking and unhealthy eating habits can multiply the risk tenfold among people who carry the gene.

"These findings convey an important message. Although we cannot change our genotype, we can alter or modify our risk of getting AMD by controlling our weight and not smoking," said Johanna M. Seddon, MD, associate professor of ophthalmology at Harvard Medical School and lead author on the study. "There is no question that genetic factors play an important role in this disease. However, individuals with the risk genotype may be more motivated to adhere to healthy lifestyles such as not smoking, maintaining a normal weight, getting exercise, eating an antioxidant-rich diet, as well as fish, and getting exercise."

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