title: Relationship of lifestyle and body stature growth with the development of myopia and axial length elongation in Taiwanese elementary school children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The development of myopia and growth of the eye, occur at a time when body stature is increasing.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship of lifestyle and body growth with axial elongation and myopia development among schoolchildren aged 7 to 9 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children in elementary schools without serious eye disorders were invited to participate. We measured cycloplegic refraction, corneal curvature, intraocular pressure, axial length, body height, and weight. Questionnaires about the children's daily lifestyles, family members' myopia and parents' socio-demographic status were completed. The children were followed up every 6 months in a 3-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Bivariate correlations, simple and multiple regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-eight children participated in this study. Forty-eight were myopic at the beginning of the study, and their myopia correlated with longer axial length and parental myopia (P = 0.015, 0.012). Sixty-five children (74%) completed the study, and the rates of change per year were -0.43 ± 0.58 (mean + standard deviation) diopters in spherical equivalence, 0.32 ± 0.25 mm in axial length (AL), 5.73 ± 2.71 cm in body height, and 3.84 ± 2.23 kg in weight. The axial length change was positively correlated with the height change (P < 0.001). The myopia shift was correlated to axial length change (P = 0.000) but not correlated to height change. Using multiple regression test, near work was the only significant risk factor for myopia progression (P = 0.022).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study showed that body height increment was correlated to axial length elongation but not to myopia shift in children aged 7-9 years. Genetic factors such as parental myopia and body height had a possible influence on myopia development, and the environment factor as near work intensity was related to myopia progression.
authors.forename: Chung-Ying
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chiun-Ho
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Ken-Kuo
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Jiahn-Shing
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Chung-Gung Memorial Hospital, Chung-Gung University, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Meng-Ling
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D001699:Biometry / Q000379:methods; D001827:Body Height; D002648:Child; D003315:Cornea / Q000254:growth & development*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012029:Refraction, Ocular / Q000502:physiology*; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology