Donut degeneration

A high-fat diet rich in processed baked goods can leave you twice as likely to suffer from age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the elderly, according to a study from the Massachussetts Eye and EAr Infirmary in the December 2003 issue of The Archives of Ophthalmology.

Researchers monitored the eating habits of 261 participants aged 60 and older to determine if diet played a role in their vision problems. The study also showed that omega-3 fatty acids helped protect the participants' eyes from AMD, which afflicts about 25 percent of people 75 and older.

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