Association between lifestyle habits and glaucoma incidence: a retrospective cohort study

Although lifestyle habits may represent modifiable risk factors of glaucoma, the association between lifestyle factors and glaucoma is not well understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between lifestyle habits and the development of glaucoma.

Participants who underwent health check-ups from 2005 to 2020 using a large-scale administrative claims database in Japan were included in the study. Cox regression analyses were performed where glaucoma development was regressed on the lifestyle (body mass index, current smoking, frequency and amount of alcohol consumption, eating habits, exercise habits and quality of sleep), age, sex, hypertension, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidaemia.

Among the 3,110,743 eligible individuals, 39,975 developed glaucoma during the mean follow-up of 2058 days. Factors associated with increased risk of glaucoma were overweight/obese (vs. moderate weight: hazard ratio, 1.04 [95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.07]), alcohol consumption of 2.5-4.9 units/day, 5-7.4 units/day, and ≥7.5 units/day (vs. <2.5 units/day: 1.05 [1.02-1.08], 1.05 [1.01-1.08] and 1.06 [1.01-1.12], respectively), skipping breakfast (1.14 [1.10-1.17]), late dinner (1.05 [1.03-1.08]) and daily walking of 1 h (1.14 [1.11-1.16]). Factors associated with decreased risk of glaucoma were daily alcohol consumption (vs. rarely: 0.94 [0.91-0.97]) and regular exercise (0.92 [0.90-0.95]).

Moderate body mass index, having breakfast, avoiding late dinner, limiting alcohol intake to <2.5 units/day, and regular exercise were associated with a reduced risk of developing glaucoma in the Japanese population. These findings may be useful for promoting glaucoma prophylaxis.