Playing outdoors prevents children short sighted. | Camp in Rego Park

Children who spend less time outdoors and do not play much sport are more likely to be near-sighted, new research suggests. They also have lower levels of vitamin D and a higher body mass index, the large study found. It’s more evidence that points the finger at lifestyle changes for the alarming rise in short-sightedness. (Summer camp in Rego Park)Experts have previously said half the world’s population will suffer from this in 30 years – with youngsters spending less time in natural light and more time looking at screens blamed.

To help anticipate it, the new examination prescribes kids should play outside for 15 hours every week. Besides, the measure of “work” shut everything down the face ought to be limited to no longer than 45 persistent minutes. Analysts say kids investing less energy outside is the hidden wellspring of the issue. The investigation author,Dr Caroline Klaver of Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam told Reuters: ‘Way of life in early youth is particularly connected with onset of astigmatism [short-sightedness]. ‘Not being outside, and performing loads of close work will build chance a great deal.(Summer camp in Rego Park)‘ Myopia generally happens when the eyes develop somewhat too long, which implies they’re not able deliver a reasonable picture of items out there. It’s idea to as of now influence up to one of every three individuals in the UK.

It has not always been clear exactly why this happens, but it’s thought to be the result of a combination of genetic and environmental factors disrupting the normal development of the eye. Short-sightedness can range from mild, where treatment may not be required, to severe, where a person’s vision is significantly affected. The condition usually starts around puberty and gets gradually worse until the eye is fully grown, but it can also develop in very young children.(Summer camp in Rego Park)

Key findings 

The new study looked at 5,711 urban children in Rotterdam who have been participating since birth, along with their mothers, in a long-term study. At age six, the children had a full medical examination and 2.4 percent were found to have nearsightedness.

The researchers used statistical techniques to analyze a wide variety of factors – including social and economic aspects, ethnicity, lifestyle, parents’ education levels, children’s’ activities. Factors like being highly educated and of non-European heritage have traditionally been linked to nearsightedness. (Summer camp in Rego Park)However, the findings suggests that how young children spend their time is likely to be the underlying source of the problem, the team wrote in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

What the experts say 

Dr Jeremy Guggenheim, an optometry professor at Cardiff University, who was not involved in the research, told Reuters differences in ethnic groups could be due to differences in lifestyle. ‘The new study and other recent work suggests that this preventative effect of time outdoors is beneficial even at very young ages, e.g. three to six years old,’ he said. ‘Too much close work, such as reading and using hand-held devices, may also be a risk – although the jury is still out on this question.’ The authors note that the study was limited by the low number of children with myopia and the lack of information about parents’ nearsightedness – a well-known risk factor for the condition.

(Summer camp in Rego Park)

Source : dailymail.com

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