Research

Smoking and visual impairment among older adults with age-related eye disease
According to a study published in CDC’s Preventing Chronic Disease, smoking is associated with visual impairment among older adults. Researchers analyzed data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) including self-reported visual impairment and smoking status. The results show that 48% of smokers had visual impairments compared to 42% of those who had never smoked. The authors suggest that longitudinal data should be collected to determine the effects of smoking cessation on vision preservation. Read the study abstract here.

Lifestyle affects sudden cardiac death risks
Results from the Nurses’ Health Study suggest that women who have never smoked are less likely to suffer a sudden cardiac death compared to women with a history of smoking. The researchers examined data regarding women’s lifestyle choices and health outcomes over 26 years of follow-up. The results illustrate that women who never smoked were 75% less likely to suffer a sudden cardiac death than those who had smoked at least 25 cigarettes per day in the past. The researchers stress that adherence to an overall healthy lifestyle including not smoking, maintaining a moderate body mass index, regular exercise, and a healthy diet could decrease women’s risk of sudden cardiac death. Read more here, and read the study abstract in The Journal of the American Medical Association here.

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