WASHINGTON—A new economic report by Frost & Sullivan, made possible by a grant from the Council for Responsible Nutrition Foundation, looks at taking preventative measures against age-related eye disease (ARED). The report, “Smart Prevention – Health Care Cost Savings Resulting from the Targeted Use of Dietary Supplements," points to lutein and zeaxanthin as preventative measures. In addition to reducing the risk of an ARED-related medical event, such as cataracts, using the supplements can also save individuals and society money.
“Smart prevention is protecting your health and also protecting your wallet. Age-related eye disease poses risks that are debilitating and expensive, so supplementing with lutein and zeaxanthin can help reduce those risks," said Duffy MacKay, N.D., senior vice president, scientific and regulatory affairs for the Council for Responsible Nutrition.
The report also covers estimates for the number of medical events that could be avoided and estimates on societal healthcare cost savings. In the report, it is stated that an average of US $3.87 billion per year in avoidable health care utilization costs is potentially realizable if all U.S. adults over the age of 55 diagnosed with ARED were to use lutein and zeaxanthin dietary supplements at preventive intake levels.
To get the results, Frost & Sullivan conducted a systematic review of scientific studies that focused on studies that looked at the relationship between lutein and zeaxanthin supplementation and the risk of an ARED-attributed event. The firm then projected the rates of ARED-attributed medical events across U.S. adults over the age of 55 with ARED and applied a cost benefit analysis to determine the cost savings if people in this targeted population took lutein and zeaxanthin supplements at preventive intake levels.
The full Frost & Sullivan economic report and accompanying materials, including a lutein and zeaxanthin infographic, are available for free at www.supplementforsmartprevention.org.