Time outdoors and physical activity as predictors of incident myopia in childhood: a prospective cohort study

Guggenheim, Jeremy Andrew ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5164-340X, Northstone, Kate, McMahon, George, Ness, Andy R., Deere, Kevin, Mattocks, Callum, Pourcain, Beate S. and Williams, Cathy 2012. Time outdoors and physical activity as predictors of incident myopia in childhood: a prospective cohort study. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 53 (6) , pp. 2856-2865. 10.1167/iovs.11-9091

Preview

PDF - Published Version Download (264kB) | Preview

Abstract

Purpose. Time spent in “sports/outdoor activity” has shown a negative association with incident myopia during childhood. We investigated the association of incident myopia with time spent outdoors and physical activity separately. Methods. Participants in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) were assessed by noncycloplegic autorefraction at ages 7, 10, 11, 12, and 15 years, and classified as myopic (≤−1 diopters) or as emmetropic/hyperopic (≥−0.25 diopters) at each visit (N = 4,837–7,747). Physical activity at age 11 years was measured objectively using an accelerometer, worn for 1 week. Time spent outdoors was assessed via a parental questionnaire administered when children were aged 8–9 years. Variables associated with incident myopia were examined using Cox regression. Results. In analyses using all available data, both time spent outdoors and physical activity were associated with incident myopia, with time outdoors having the larger effect. The results were similar for analyses restricted to children classified as either nonmyopic or emmetropic/hyperopic at age 11 years. Thus, for children nonmyopic at age 11, the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval, CI) for incident myopia was 0.66 (0.47–0.93) for a high versus low amount of time spent outdoors, and 0.87 (0.76–0.99) per unit standard deviation above average increase in moderate/vigorous physical activity.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Optometry and Vision Sciences
Subjects:	R Medicine > RE Ophthalmology R Medicine > RJ Pediatrics > RJ101 Child Health. Child health services
Additional Information:	Confirmation received by publisher on 21 February 2014 that publisher's pdf can be self-archived 6 months after publication.
Publisher:	Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology
ISSN:	0146-0404
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Last Modified:	04 May 2023 03:06
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/29032

Citation Data

Cited 264 times in Scopus. View in Scopus. Powered By Scopus® Data

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item