New Research Illustrates that Blueberry Intake is Associated with a Reduced Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration
FOLSOM, California – April 15, 2024 – A new research study published in the Journal of Nutrition discovered that modest levels of blueberry intake (> 1 serving per week) was linked to a lower risk of total age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in a group of middle-aged and older women [1].
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) causes the blurring of central vision. It is a significant cause of blindness worldwide and the leading cause of vision loss and blindness for Americans sixty-five years of age and older. AMD destroys the core and crisp vision needed for clear eyesight. Daily activities such as driving, viewing television, or reading text on a computer, phone, or newspaper may be impacted by this impairment [2].
The participants included in this study were originally enrolled in the Women’s Health Study, a large-scale study conducted by a team of investigators who have followed a large cohort of middle-aged women for over a decade. The participants completed a one hundred thirty-one questionnaire documenting dietary patterns and blueberry intake, whether fresh, frozen, or canned. They also filled out annual questionnaires on health outcomes, such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Women who had existing cataracts or AMD or had missing blueberry intake data were excluded, leaving 37,653 and 35,402 women in the analysis of AMD and cataracts, respectively.
For the evaluations of AMD and cataracts, the average age of the women was 54.5 and 53.9 years, respectively. The percentage of people who consumed blueberries in the early 1990s, when the original Women’s Health Study was initiated, was low: 64.8% had none; 24.7% had one to three servings of blueberries per month; 8.4% had one serving per week; and 2.1% had more than two servings per week. However, the results of this study showed that women who ate > 1 serving of blueberries weekly had a significant 28% reduction in total AMD, but not visually significant AMD [1].
“This is the first study of its kind evaluating the effects of blueberry consumption and the association with age-related macular degeneration in women,” said Howard Sesso, ScD, MPH Division of Preventive Medicine, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, and the study’s lead investigator. “Blueberries are a source of several bioactives associated with numerous health benefits, and this study suggests they may also be important for eye health.”
Despite the content of anthocyanins in blueberries, the investigators did not find an association between increasing anthocyanin intake and AMD; however, there was a modest inverse association with cataracts.
Further investigation of the effects of blueberry ingestion is necessary to shed light on the physiological mechanisms underlying its effectiveness and identify variables that affect various clinical responses.
This study was based on a single baseline self-report of dietary intake in 1992, when general blueberry intake was lower than present levels of consumption [3]. More recent assessments with more women in the upper categories of blueberry intake could provide additional information.
Lastly, although the researchers had no evidence to suggest that the results may differ by sex, race/ethnicity, or other factors, this study was limited to predominantly white female health professionals, so additional studies are needed to evaluate the effect in other population groups.
A grant from the U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council supported the study. The USHBC had no role in study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, or writing of the study. For more information on blueberry nutrition research, visit https://healthprofessionals.blueberry.org/for-health-researchers/.
[1] Sesso, HD, Rautiainen P, Park SJ, Kim E, Lee, I-M, Glynn RJ, Buring JR, Christen WG. Intake of blueberries, anthocyanins, and risk of eye disease in women. The Journal of Nutrition. 2024, 154:1404-1413.
[2] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Learn About Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/visionhealth/resources/features/macular-degeneration.html
[3] https://www.thepacker.com/news/produce-crops/berry-capita-availability-growth-shines#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20USDA%2C%20retail,to%202.3%20pounds%20in%202022.