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Groenten tegen macula degeneratie.*
Uit een studie onder ruim 4500 mensen in de leeftijd van 60-80 jaar, die ruim 6 jaar gevolgd werden, blijkt dat het regelmatig eten van groenten rijk aan luteïne en zeaxanthine de kans op macula degeneratie wel tot 35% kan verminderen. Macula degeneratie is de belangrijkste oorzaak voor blindheid bij senioren. In Amerika lijden ongeveer 1,2 miljoen mensen aan deze ziekte. In Nederland lijdt naar schatting ongeveer 14% van de mensen tussen de 55 en 64 jaar aan enige vorm van Macula degeneratie. Dit loopt in de groep 65- tot 75-jarigen op tot bijna 20% en tot 37% bij 75-plussers.
The Relationship of Dietary Carotenoid and Vitamin A, E, and C Intake With Age-Related Macular Degeneration in a Case-Control Study 
AREDS Report No. 22 
Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group* 
Arch Ophthalmol. 125(9):1225-1232. 
Objective To evaluate the relationship of dietary carotenoids, vitamin A, alpha-tocopherol, and vitamin C with prevalent age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS). 
Methods Demographic, lifestyle, and medical characteristics were ascertained on 4519 AREDS participants aged 60 to 80 years at enrollment. Stereoscopic color fundus photographs were used to categorize participants into 4 AMD severity groups and a control group (participants with < 15 small drusen). Nutrient intake was estimated from a self-administered semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire at enrollment. Intake values were energy adjusted and classified by quintiles. The relationship between diet and AMD status was assessed using logistic regression analyses. 
Results Dietary lutein/zeaxanthin intake was inversely associated with neovascular AMD (odds ratio [OR], 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.45-0.93), geographic atrophy (OR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.24-0.86), and large or extensive intermediate drusen (OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.56-0.96), comparing the highest vs lowest quintiles of intake, after adjustment for total energy intake and nonnutrient-based covariates. Other nutrients were not independently related to AMD. 
Conclusion Higher dietary intake of lutein/zeaxanthin was independently associated with decreased likelihood of having neovascular AMD, geographic atrophy, and large or extensive intermediate drusen. (Januari 2008)

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