Abstract
Purpose :
Children with amblyopia, and the resultant loss of stereopsis, may have fine and gross motor deficits which have been associated with a higher risk of obesity. However, the risk of obesity in individuals with amblyopia is unknown.
Methods :
These analyses use data from the 1999–2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). We focus on the 8295 children between the ages of 12 and 18 who participated in the visual examination component of NHANES and had a best corrected visual acuity in the better eye of at least 20/40. Amblyopia was defined as at least a two-line intraocular difference in acuity. Obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) or a body fat percentage (BFP) greater or equal to the 95th percentile for age and gender. BFP was measured using a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Cardiovascular fitness level (CFL) was assessed using a submaximal exercise test. We calculated Mantel-Haenszel odds ratios to examine the relative prevalence odds of obesity in children with and without amblyopia.
Results :
The prevalence of amblyopia was 4.3%. Children with amblyopia had a higher prevalence of high BMI than those without (30.3% versus 21.4%; OR =1.56; 95% CI 1.24-1.98). Children with amblyopia were also somewhat more likely to have a high BFP (15.3% versus 13.2%; OR = 1.15 95% CI 0.77,1.70) and have low CFL (OR = 1.15; 95% CI 0.83,1.57) but these measures were available for only about half of the population.
Conclusions :
Our findings suggest that adolescents with amblyopia may be more likely to be obese and sedentary. Given the range of morbidities associated with childhood obesity, targeted interventions promoting physical activity among children with amblyopia could be a viable option for preventing and addressing weight-related health issues.
This abstract was presented at the 2022 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Denver, CO, May 1-4, 2022, and virtually.