BALTIMORE--Older adults who consume fish and/or shellfish on a weekly basis may be helping fight progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a new study (Ophthalmology. ePub 2010 Jul 12. DOI: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2010.03.058). Researchers from the Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, used data from the Salisbury Eye Evaluation (SEE) study, a sample of 2,520 adults aged 65 to 84 years, who completed a food frequency questionnaire and had AMD status determined at baseline and on an ongoing basis. Researchers looked at weekly fish/shellfish consumption, and used logistic regression to determine the association with risk for AMD.
While there was no significant difference in distribution of fish/shellfish consumption between specific AMD categories compared with controls, those with advanced AMD were significantly less likely to consume fish/shellfish that was high in omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFAs). There was also no relationship seen between AMD and the intake of crab and oysters, which are high in zinc, an antioxidant that has been studied in previous trials on AMD and nutrition.
The researchers concluded greater consumption of fish that is high in omega-3s could fight progression of advanced AMD. The study was funded in part by the National Eye Institute, part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).
