Increased participation in vigorous exercise, such as jogging, running and sprinting, decreases an individuals risk for incident age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a study published in the January issue of Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science. When the data were adjusted for all factors, including age and sex, an individuals relative risk for AMD decreased by 10% for every kilometer he or she ran per day. Men and women who ran for an average of two to four kilometers per day were 19% less likely to develop AMD compared to those who ran less than two kilometers a day; those who ran more than four kilometers per day demonstrated a 42% to 54% lower risk for AMD development.

Cellular phone use is not associated with an increased risk for uveal melanoma, according to a study in the January issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. In this study, the researchers examined 459 patients and 1,194 control subjects. The participants were split into three groups according to the amount of time they spend on the phone: no cell phone use, sporadic cell phone use or regular cell phone use. At the conclusion of the study, the researchers found no statistically significant association between 10 years of regular cellular phone use and an increased risk for uveal melanoma.

Vol. No: 146:02Issue: 2/15/2009