title: Weight status, abdominal adiposity, diabetes, and early age-related lens opacities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The association between weight status and the risk of lens opacities has received little attention.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We examined the cross-sectional relations of body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)), waist circumference, and diabetes with the presence of age-related lens opacities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eye examinations were conducted in 466 Boston-area women aged 53-73 y who were without previously diagnosed cataracts and were part of the Nurses' Health Study cohort. Weight, height, waist, and hip measurements were obtained by self-report. Lens status was evaluated by using the Lens Opacification Classification System III (LOCS III). BMI and waist circumference were used as measures of overweight and abdominal adiposity, respectively. Nuclear, cortical, and posterior subcapsular (PSC) opacities were defined as LOCS III scores > or = 2.5, > or = 1.0, and > or = 0.5, respectively. Diabetes was defined as a history of type 2 diabetes or as a fasting plasma glucose concentration > or = 7.0 mmol/L.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women with diabetes were significantly more likely to have PSC opacities [odds ratio (OR): 4.1; 95% CI: 1.8, 9.4] than were women with fasting plasma glucose concentrations < 6.1 mmol/L. Women with a BMI > or = 30 had a higher prevalence of PSC opacities than did women with a BMI < 25 (OR: 2.5; 1.2, 5.2), and women with a waist circumference > or = 89 cm had a higher prevalence of PSC opacities than did those with a waist circumference < 80 cm (OR: 2.3; 1.0, 5.2). Diabetes and measures of adiposity were unrelated to the prevalence of cortical and nuclear opacities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diabetes is a strong risk factor for PSC opacities, and overweight and abdominal adiposity may be risk factors for PSC opacities.
authors.affiliation: Jean Mayer US Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging and Tufts University School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA.
authors.forename: Paul F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Jacques
authors.forename: Suzen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Moeller
authors.forename: Susan E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Hankinson
authors.forename: Leo T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Chylack
authors.forename: Gail
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tung
authors.forename: John K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Wolfe
authors.forename: Walter C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Willett
authors.forename: Allen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D034861:Abdominal Wall; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D001900:Boston / Q000453:epidemiology; D002386:Cataract / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors