By David Liu, PHD

Saturday Aug 11, 2012 (foodconsumer.org) -- A study in Archives of Ophthalmology suggests that eating less calories may help reduce risk of diabetic retinopathy in African-American people with type 1 diabetes or prevent the progression of the disease.

The study found baseline total calorie intake was significantly associated with 6 year incidence of vision threatening diabetic retinopathy in type 1 diabetes patients, either proliferative diabetic retinopathy or macular edema, and the incidence of severe hard exudates.

For the study, African American patients with type 1 diabetes were followed up for six years and dietary information was surveyed at baseline.

The study of 469 participants also found baseline high sodium intake was significantly associated with high risk for macular edema during the 6-year follow-up.

The study suggests that low caloric and sodium intakes should be recommended for type 1 diabetes to prevent  diabetic retinopathy and the progression of the disease.

Diabetic retinopathy is damage to the eye's retina in diabetes patients who suffer from the disease for a long time.