Vegetarian diet is associated with lower risk of cataracts, especially among overweight people: prospective study

PMID: 33309591 DOI: 10.1016 / j.jand.2020.11.003

Commentary

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between dietary patterns and the risk of cataract among vegetarians in Taiwan.

Designed as a prospective cohort study, 6,002 participants were included at Dalin Tzu ChiHospital from 2007 to 2009, and diet was assessed through a validated food intake frequency questionnaire.

Ultimately, participants without cataracts at the time of recruitment (3,095 non-vegetarians and 1,341 vegetarians) aged 40 years or older were followed until the end of 2014, death, or the development of cataracts.

The results showed that compared to non-vegetarians, vegetarians had higher intakes of soy, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, dietary fiber, vitamin C, folate, and vitamin A equivalents.

In a follow-up study of 25,103 people/year, 476 cataracts were identified.

Of these, vegetarianism was found to be associated with a 20% reduction in the risk of cataracts after adjusting for gender, education, smoking, drinking habits, physical activity, and Tzu Chi volunteer status. This association was more pronounced in individuals who were overweight.