An epidemiological study of the risk factors associated with myopia in young adult men in Korea

Abstract

The prevalence of myopia has been increasing worldwide. Its causes are not completely clear, although genetic and environmental factors are thought to play a role. Data were collected by the Korean Military Manpower Administration. Frequency analysis was used for comparisons of general characteristics. Pearson’s chi-square tests and logistic regression analysis were used to verify the correlations between possible risk factors and the prevalence of myopia or high myopia. The prevalence of myopia (50.6–53.0%) and high myopia (11.3–12.9%) increased each year. These tended to be the highest in patients born in spring, and decreased in the following order according to education level: 4- or 6-year university education or more, high school education or less, and 2- to 3-year college education. Moreover, the prevalence of myopia and high myopia was significantly higher in patients ≤ 60 kg and with a body mass index ≤ 18.5 kg/m2. The prevalence of high myopia was significantly higher in taller patients (≥175 cm). The prevalence of myopia and high myopia increased each year in Korean young adult men and was associated with birth season, education level, height, weight, and body mass index. Tall, lean men were more likely to have high myopia.

Myopia and BMI: a nationwide study of 1.3 million adolescents

“…Previous studies conducted on this database have reported concurring evidence in Israel regarding the growing burden of myopia [2, 20, 21], as well as for myopia risk factors such as near work [14] and cognitive function [22]. In the current study, we found evidence to support the positive association between myopia with both low and high BMI values, similarly to previous reports [6–8]. There are several plausible explanations for these associations.…”

Myopia and BMI: a nationwide study of 1.3 million adolescents

“…Previous studies conducted on this database have reported concurring evidence in Israel regarding the growing burden of myopia [2, 20, 21], as well as for myopia risk factors such as near work [14] and cognitive function [22]. In the current study, we found evidence to support the positive association between myopia with both low and high BMI values, similarly to previous reports [6–8]. There are several plausible explanations for these associations.…”

Progression of myopia among undergraduate students in central China

“…Even if slowing their myopic progression just by 1 D during childhood should lower the risk [15] . Of particular concern is that the prevalence of high myopia in this study was 14.1%, which corresponded to several previous reports among university students (7.9% to 16.6% in Fenghua City [16] , and 19.5% in Shanghai [3] ), was twice as much as that of the general adult population (7.0% in the Korean adult population [17] ). To make matters worse, we found that individuals with a higher degree of myopia had greater myopia progression compared to those with a mild degree of myopia.…”

Factors associated with myopia in 19-year-old adult men in Korea between 2014 and 2020

“…In this study, the prevalence of myopia decreased with height, but the prevalence of hyper myopia increased significantly only in those who were 180 cm or taller, relative to that in individuals with a height of < 170 cm. These findings indicate that high myopia was more strongly correlated with the axial length than was myopia, as reported in a previous study 6 . These conflicting results for myopia and high myopia, as well as those of previous studies, make it difficult to draw clear conclusions.…”

“…One study found a significant association with myopia when height, weight, and BMI were high 25 ; another study reported that the prevalence of myopia was low when BMI was normal, whereas it was high when BMI was low 26 . In a previous study, the prevalence of myopia was also high when BMI was low 6 . However, in other studies on Koreans, height, weight, and BMI were not related to myopia 3 , 9 .…”

Myopia and BMI: a nationwide study of 1.3 million adolescents

“…Previous studies conducted on this database have reported concurring evidence in Israel regarding the growing burden of myopia [2, 20, 21], as well as for myopia risk factors such as near work [14] and cognitive function [22]. In the current study, we found evidence to support the positive association between myopia with both low and high BMI values, similarly to previous reports [6–8]. There are several plausible explanations for these associations.…”

Progression of myopia among undergraduate students in central China

“…Even if slowing their myopic progression just by 1 D during childhood should lower the risk [15] . Of particular concern is that the prevalence of high myopia in this study was 14.1%, which corresponded to several previous reports among university students (7.9% to 16.6% in Fenghua City [16] , and 19.5% in Shanghai [3] ), was twice as much as that of the general adult population (7.0% in the Korean adult population [17] ). To make matters worse, we found that individuals with a higher degree of myopia had greater myopia progression compared to those with a mild degree of myopia.…”

Factors associated with myopia in 19-year-old adult men in Korea between 2014 and 2020

“…In this study, the prevalence of myopia decreased with height, but the prevalence of hyper myopia increased significantly only in those who were 180 cm or taller, relative to that in individuals with a height of < 170 cm. These findings indicate that high myopia was more strongly correlated with the axial length than was myopia, as reported in a previous study 6 . These conflicting results for myopia and high myopia, as well as those of previous studies, make it difficult to draw clear conclusions.…”

“…One study found a significant association with myopia when height, weight, and BMI were high 25 ; another study reported that the prevalence of myopia was low when BMI was normal, whereas it was high when BMI was low 26 . In a previous study, the prevalence of myopia was also high when BMI was low 6 . However, in other studies on Koreans, height, weight, and BMI were not related to myopia 3 , 9 .…”

Myopia and BMI: a nationwide study of 1.3 million adolescents

“…Previous studies conducted on this database have reported concurring evidence in Israel regarding the growing burden of myopia [2, 20, 21], as well as for myopia risk factors such as near work [14] and cognitive function [22]. In the current study, we found evidence to support the positive association between myopia with both low and high BMI values, similarly to previous reports [6–8]. There are several plausible explanations for these associations.…”

Progression of myopia among undergraduate students in central China

“…Even if slowing their myopic progression just by 1 D during childhood should lower the risk [15] . Of particular concern is that the prevalence of high myopia in this study was 14.1%, which corresponded to several previous reports among university students (7.9% to 16.6% in Fenghua City [16] , and 19.5% in Shanghai [3] ), was twice as much as that of the general adult population (7.0% in the Korean adult population [17] ). To make matters worse, we found that individuals with a higher degree of myopia had greater myopia progression compared to those with a mild degree of myopia.…”

Factors associated with myopia in 19-year-old adult men in Korea between 2014 and 2020

“…In this study, the prevalence of myopia decreased with height, but the prevalence of hyper myopia increased significantly only in those who were 180 cm or taller, relative to that in individuals with a height of < 170 cm. These findings indicate that high myopia was more strongly correlated with the axial length than was myopia, as reported in a previous study 6 . These conflicting results for myopia and high myopia, as well as those of previous studies, make it difficult to draw clear conclusions.…”

“…One study found a significant association with myopia when height, weight, and BMI were high 25 ; another study reported that the prevalence of myopia was low when BMI was normal, whereas it was high when BMI was low 26 . In a previous study, the prevalence of myopia was also high when BMI was low 6 . However, in other studies on Koreans, height, weight, and BMI were not related to myopia 3 , 9 .…”