The Effect of Diet and Lifestyle on the Course of Diabetic Retinopathy-A Review of the Literature

Overview

Journal Nutrients

Date 2022 Mar 26

PMID 35334909

Authors

Anna Bryl

Malgorzata Mrugacz

Mariusz Falkowski

Katarzyna Zorena

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Diabetes is a major social problem. As shown by epidemiological studies, the world incidence of diabetes is increasing and so is the number of people suffering from its complications. Therefore, it is important to determine possible preventive tools. In the prevention of diabetic retinopathy, it is essential to control glycemia, lipid profile and blood pressure. This can be done not only by pharmacological treatment, but first of all by promoting a healthy lifestyle, changing dietary habits and increasing physical activity. In our work, we present a review of the literature to show that physical exercise and an adequate diet can significantly reduce the risk of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy.

Citing Articles

Narrative review of comprehensive management strategies for diabetic retinopathy: interdisciplinary approaches and future perspectives.

Pei X, Li Z BMJ Public Health. 2025; 3(1):e001353.

PMID: 40017934 PMC: 11812885. DOI: 10.1136/bmjph-2024-001353.

β-Hydroxybutyrate mitigates the detrimental effects of high glucose in human retinal pigment epithelial ARPE-19 cells.

Argentino F, Mallardo M, Costagliola C, Daniele A, Nigro E Hum Cell. 2025; 38(2):59.

PMID: 39976785 PMC: 11842486. DOI: 10.1007/s13577-025-01187-x.

Natural remedies proposed for the management of diabetic retinopathy (DR): diabetic complications.

Khidr E, Morad N, Hatem S, El-Dessouki A, Mohamed A, El-Shiekh R Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol. 2025; .

PMID: 39954069 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-025-03866-w.

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: New Pathogenetic Mechanisms, Treatment and the Most Important Complications.

Mlynarska E, Czarnik W, Dzieza N, Jedraszak W, Majchrowicz G, Prusinowski F Int J Mol Sci. 2025; 26(3).

PMID: 39940862 PMC: 11817707. DOI: 10.3390/ijms26031094.

Models based on dietary nutrients predicting all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in people with diabetes.

Wang F, Mao Y, Sun J, Yang J, Xiao L, Huang Q Sci Rep. 2025; 15(1):4600.

PMID: 39920222 PMC: 11805981. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-88480-9.

References

Ma Q, Chen D, Sun H, Yan N, Xu Y, Pan C . Regular Chinese Green Tea Consumption is Protective for Diabetic Retinopathy: A Clinic-Based Case-Control Study. J Diabetes Res. 2015; 2015:231570. PMC: 4619946. DOI: 10.1155/2015/231570. View

Shin J, Sohn J, Park K . Chlorogenic acid decreases retinal vascular hyperpermeability in diabetic rat model. J Korean Med Sci. 2013; 28(4):608-13. PMC: 3617316. DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2013.28.4.608. View

Praidou A, Harris M, Niakas D, Labiris G . Physical activity and its correlation to diabetic retinopathy. J Diabetes Complications. 2016; 31(2):456-461. DOI: 10.1016/j.jdiacomp.2016.06.027. View

Zhu W, Wu Y, Meng Y, Xing Q, Tao J, Lu J . Association of obesity and risk of diabetic retinopathy in diabetes patients: A meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Medicine (Baltimore). 2018; 97(32):e11807. PMC: 6133614. DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000011807. View

Snowling N, Hopkins W . Effects of different modes of exercise training on glucose control and risk factors for complications in type 2 diabetic patients: a meta-analysis. Diabetes Care. 2006; 29(11):2518-27. DOI: 10.2337/dc06-1317. View

Berrone E, Beltramo E, Solimine C, Ape A, Porta M . Regulation of intracellular glucose and polyol pathway by thiamine and benfotiamine in vascular cells cultured in high glucose. J Biol Chem. 2006; 281(14):9307-13. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M600418200. View

Mutlu U, Ikram M, Hofman A, de Jong P, Uitterlinden A, Klaver C . Vitamin D and retinal microvascular damage: The Rotterdam Study. Medicine (Baltimore). 2016; 95(49):e5477. PMC: 5266000. DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000005477. View

Agbor G, Vinson J, Patel S, Patel K, Scarpati J, Shiner D . Effect of selenium- and glutathione-enriched yeast supplementation on a combined atherosclerosis and diabetes hamster model. J Agric Food Chem. 2007; 55(21):8731-6. DOI: 10.1021/jf0711901. View

Xia N, Daiber A, Habermeier A, Closs E, Thum T, Spanier G . Resveratrol reverses endothelial nitric-oxide synthase uncoupling in apolipoprotein E knockout mice. J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2010; 335(1):149-54. DOI: 10.1124/jpet.110.168724. View

10.

Calderon G, Juarez O, Hernandez G, Punzo S, De la Cruz Z . Oxidative stress and diabetic retinopathy: development and treatment. Eye (Lond). 2017; 31(8):1122-1130. PMC: 5558229. DOI: 10.1038/eye.2017.64. View

11.

Raman R, Ganesan S, Pal S, Gella L, Kulothungan V, Sharma T . Incidence and Progression of Diabetic Retinopathy in Urban India: Sankara Nethralaya-Diabetic Retinopathy Epidemiology and Molecular Genetics Study (SN-DREAMS II), Report 1. Ophthalmic Epidemiol. 2017; 24(5):294-302. DOI: 10.1080/09286586.2017.1290257. View

12.

Abate M, Schiavone C, Pelotti P, Salini V . Limited joint mobility in diabetes and ageing: recent advances in pathogenesis and therapy. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2011; 23(4):997-1003. DOI: 10.1177/039463201002300404. View

13.

McCarty M . A chlorogenic acid-induced increase in GLP-1 production may mediate the impact of heavy coffee consumption on diabetes risk. Med Hypotheses. 2005; 64(4):848-53. DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2004.03.037. View

14.

Beulens J, Kruidhof J, Grobbee D, Chaturvedi N, Fuller J, Soedamah-Muthu S . Alcohol consumption and risk of microvascular complications in type 1 diabetes patients: the EURODIAB Prospective Complications Study. Diabetologia. 2008; 51(9):1631-8. DOI: 10.1007/s00125-008-1091-z. View

15.

Chung Y, Park S, Choi S, Kim S, Moon K, Kim J . Association of statin use and hypertriglyceridemia with diabetic macular edema in patients with type 2 diabetes and diabetic retinopathy. Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2017; 16(1):4. PMC: 5219811. DOI: 10.1186/s12933-016-0486-2. View

16.

Millen A, Sahli M, Nie J, LaMonte M, Lutsey P, Klein B . Adequate vitamin D status is associated with the reduced odds of prevalent diabetic retinopathy in African Americans and Caucasians. Cardiovasc Diabetol. 2016; 15(1):128. PMC: 5009647. DOI: 10.1186/s12933-016-0434-1. View

17.

McNulty H, Strain J, Hughes C, Ward M . Riboflavin, MTHFR genotype and blood pressure: A personalized approach to prevention and treatment of hypertension. Mol Aspects Med. 2016; 53:2-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2016.10.002. View

18.

Mozetic V, Gomes Freitas C, Riera R . Statins and Fibrates for Diabetic Retinopathy: Protocol for a Systematic Review. JMIR Res Protoc. 2017; 6(2):e30. PMC: 5343211. DOI: 10.2196/resprot.6650. View

19.

Lei X, Zeng G, Zhang Y, Li Q, Zhang J, Bai Z . Association between homocysteine level and the risk of diabetic retinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetol Metab Syndr. 2018; 10:61. PMC: 6071377. DOI: 10.1186/s13098-018-0362-1. View

20.

Hamdy O, Goodyear L, Horton E . Diet and exercise in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2001; 30(4):883-907. DOI: 10.1016/s0889-8529(05)70220-6. View