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Published on: January 12, 2024
Retinal microvascular changes and the risk of developing obesity: population-based cohort study
Anoop Shankar1, Charumathi Sabanayagam, Barbara E K Klein
1Department of Community Medicine, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, USA. ashankar@hsc.wvu.edu
Microcirculation (New York, N.Y. : 1994)
|September 22, 2011
Summary
Wider retinal venules, a sign of microvascular dysfunction, are linked to an increased risk of developing obesity over 15 years. This finding suggests a potential role for blood vessel changes in obesity
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Cardiovascular Health
- Metabolic Disorders
Background:
- Endothelial and microvascular dysfunction are hypothesized contributors to obesity development.
- Retinal microvascular changes are known indicators for diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.
- Limited prospective research exists on retinal microvascular changes and obesity risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between retinal microvascular diameters and the 15-year incidence of obesity.
- To determine if retinal arteriolar and venular changes predict future obesity risk.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 2089 nonobese individuals (aged 44-85) from a population-based cohort.
- Measurement of retinal arteriolar and venular diameters from baseline retinal photographs.
- Assessment of 15-year incidence of obesity as the primary outcome.
Main Results:
- Retinal venular widening showed a positive association with incident obesity over 15 years.
- This association persisted after adjusting for multiple confounders including BMI and C-reactive protein.
- Subjects in the highest tertile of venular diameter had a 1.68-fold increased risk of obesity (p-trend = 0.0005).
- Narrow retinal arterioles were not significantly associated with obesity risk.
Conclusions:
- Wider retinal venules are associated with an increased risk of developing obesity.
- This suggests a potential role for microvascular dysfunction in the etiology of obesity.
- Retinal venular caliber may serve as an early indicator for obesity risk.
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