Duke Study Shows Need for Nutrition in Confronting Growth in Age-Related Eye Diseases

DES MOINES, Iowa (Sept. 18, 2003) - With a new Duke University study(1) showing a significant increase in common age-related eye disease among older Americans, preventive approaches to eye health are more important than ever.

Several research reports have suggested the antioxidant lutein, found abundantly in dark green leafy vegetables and in a variety of supplements and fortified foods, may help reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) among older Americans who have a higher risk of developing the disease.

In one Harvard study,(2) a diet of 6 milligrams of lutein per day led to a 57 percent lower prevalence of AMD, leading the study's authors to suggest a diet high in lutein to lower the risk of contracting AMD.

"Lutein's ability to filter blue light and quench molecular free radicals appears to play a role in maintaining healthy macular pigment and reducing oxidative stress in the eye's retina, which has been linked to AMD," said Rodney Ausich, Ph.D., President of Kemin Foods, L.C., the leading global producer of purified, crystalline FloraGLO® Lutein used in supplements, foods and beverages.

AMD has been recognized as the leading cause of legal blindness in people age 50 and over in the western world. An estimated 25 million to 30 million people worldwide are afflicted with AMD, according to AMD Alliance International, a leading advocacy group supporting global AMD consumer education, research and treatment.

Findings of the Duke study indicate the prevalence of AMD among U.S. residents age 65 and older increased from 5 percent to 27.1 percent between 1991 and 1999. "With a growing baby boom population experiencing a higher rate of AMD and the lifestyle hardships that come with it, protective measures that include nutritional approaches are extremely important," Ausich said.

A Kemin-commissioned random-sample survey of 300 U.S. eye doctors last year found 91 percent believe nutrition plays a role in development of common eye diseases, and that lutein plays an important role in promoting eye health. Other lifestyle and demographic factors believed to increase the risk of AMD include age, exposure to sunlight, smoking, alcohol consumption, heredity, gender, race, eye color (blue or green) and heart disease.

More information is available at AMD Alliance (www.amdalliance.org) To learn more about lutein, visit: Lutein Information Bureau (www.luteininfo.org)