A new study suggests that regularly eating fruit in one's youth helps prevent age-related macular degeneration. As with earlier research, this study also suggests that vegetable vitamins or carotenoids—the substances that give some fruits and vegetables their red, orange, or yellow colors—do not offer strong protection for vision.
The U.S. study found that people who ate three or more servings of fruit daily, regardless of gender, had a 36% lower risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. The leader of the study stated that people are living longer than before, but age-related diseases, such as blindness, can significantly impact the quality of a healthy life.
This research is the first large-scale study to consider the prevention of this condition from a dietary perspective.