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The correlation between body mass index and intraocular pressure in children

Luciano Lira de Albuquerque1, Maria Isabel Lynch Gaete, José Natal Figueiroa

  • 1Serviço de Oftalmologia Pediátrica, Instituto de Medicina Integral Professor Fernando Figueira, Recife, PE, Brazil.

Arquivos Brasileiros De Oftalmologia
|July 2, 2013
PubMed

Insights

This study found no significant link between child body mass index (BMI) and intraocular pressure (IOP). Further research is needed to understand the relationship between childhood obesity and eye pressure.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Studies suggest a link between adult obesity and elevated intraocular pressure (IOP).
  • The association between childhood obesity and IOP remains under-investigated.
  • Understanding this relationship is crucial for pediatric eye health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the correlation between body mass index (BMI) and intraocular pressure (IOP) in children.
  • To determine if childhood overweight/obesity is associated with higher IOP.
  • To contribute to the understanding of risk factors for elevated IOP in pediatric populations.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 96 Brazilian children was analyzed.
  • Participants were categorized based on BMI into overweight/obese and normal weight groups.
  • Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured using Goldmann applanation tonometry and corrected for corneal thickness.

Main Results:

  • No statistically significant difference in IOP was observed between overweight/obese children and their normal-weight peers.
  • Mean IOP measurements, both corrected and uncorrected for corneal thickness, showed no significant variation.
  • The calculated coefficient of correlation between BMI and IOP was not significant (r=0.070, p=0.496).

Conclusions:

  • The study did not find a correlation between body mass index (BMI) and intraocular pressure (IOP) in the studied pediatric population.
  • Current findings do not support an association between childhood obesity and elevated IOP.
  • Further research with larger cohorts is recommended to definitively clarify the BMI-IOP relationship in children.
Abstract

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