Effect of physical activity on reducing the risk of diabetic retinopathy progression: 10-year prospective findings from the 45 and Up Study

ObjectiveTo examine the association of physical activities (PA) with diabetic retinopathy (DR) progression based on a 10-year follow-up of a large cohort of working-aged diabetic populations in Australia.MethodsNine thousand and eighteen working-aged diabetic patients were enrolled from the baseline of the 45 and Up Study from New South Wales, Australia. Self-reported PA collected by questionnaire at baseline in 2006 was graded into low (ResultsIn the fully adjusted model, higher PA level was significantly associated with a lower risk of RPC incident (Cox-regression, p-value for trend = 0.002; medium vs. low, hazard ratio (HR) = 0.78, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.61–0.98; high vs. low, HR = 0.61, 95%CI: 0.36–0.84. In addition, gender, body mass index, insulin treatment, family history of diabetes, history of cardiovascular disease were significant effect modifiers for the association between PA and RPC.ConclusionsHigher PA level was independently associated with a lower risk of DR progression among working-aged diabetic populations in this large cohort study.