A Vegetarian Diet Is Associated with a Lower Risk of Cataract, Particularly Among Individuals with Overweight: A Prospective Study

Year Published: 2020

J Acad Nutr Diet

Tina H T Chiu, Chia-Chen Chang, Chin-Lon Lin, Ming-Nan Lin

"Cataracts are caused by oxidative stress in the lens of the eyes and plant-based dietary patterns can contain a wide variety of protective antioxidants. However, strict vegetarians with inadequate vitamin B-12 intakes can have elevated homocysteine levels, which could increase the risk of cortical cataracts. Whether the benefits of a vegetarian diet outweigh its risks in the development of cataracts warrants investigation. Objective: Our aim was to study the prospective association between a Taiwanese vegetarian dietary pattern and cataract risk."

Key Findings: Results showed that adherence to a vegetarian diet was associated with a 20% reduced risk of cataracts. This association was even more pronounced in individuals who were overweight (30% reduced risk).