NEW YORK—High caloric and sodium intakes are significant and independent risk factors for progression to severe forms of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in black individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Therefore, dietary recommendations of low caloric and sodium intakes may be beneficial in relation to the development of DR, according to a new study published in the Archives of Opthalmology.
Researchers assessed 469 black patients with type 1 diabetes who originally enrolled in the study between 1993 and 1998. After a 6-year follow-up, participants completed a food-frequency questionnaire, had a complete eye examination, underwent blood testing and had photographs of the retina taken to determine progression of diabetic retinopathy.
Researchers found that individuals with the highest caloric intake at the beginning of the study were more likely to develop vision-threatening retinopathy by the end of the 6-year period. High sodium intake at the initial examination also was associated with the development of macular edema.
