Set Your Eyes on Fruits and Veggies

When our parents insisted that we eat our carrots because they would help our vision, they may have been on to something. Frederick Khachik, University of Maryland adjunct professor of chemistry and senior research scientist for the Joint Institute for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, pictured above, reveals that fruits and vegetables containing a group of compounds known as carotenoids may help prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

In his research with carotenoids, Khachik showed that green fruits and vegetables (leafy greens, broccoli, beans and kiwi) as well as yellow-orange ones (sweet potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, watermelons and oranges) have 40 to 50 carotenoids that are handled by the body. When fruits and vegetables are eaten, approximately 12 carotenoids are absorbed into the blood and metabolized.

Khachik explains that lutein and zeaxanthin have a protective effect on the retina. These carotenoids accumulate in the macular region of the eye just behind the retina, and act as optical filters and as antioxidants that can prevent damage to the photoreceptors in the retina. As we age, overexposure to bright light and the presence of oxidizing species degenerate the macula, which can lead to AMD.

One concern of the research was investigating any potential side effects from the supplements. The National Eye Institute-funded research featured 18 monkeys who were supplemented with high doses of lutein and zeaxanthin. Khachik says, “one of the biggest highlights of the research was the high dosages revealed no toxicity or side effects. That’s been an accomplishment of my work at Maryland.” —DCJ

Make Time Well Spent Your Priority

Children may not play outside as much as they once did, but they’re reading more and spending more time in church and youth activities, according to a recent university study. Sociologist and demographer Sandy Hofferth explores what this shift in time spent says about families.

Conducted between 1997 and 2003, the study tracked more than 3,500 children ages 6 to 12. Trained interviewers asked questions about activities on one randomly selected weekday and one weekend day. This was an update of data collected between 1981 and 1997.

Hofferth, a professor in the Department of Family Studies, notes that the major change in increased studying, particularly reading, occurred among children ages 6 to 8 of mothers with some college education. She attributes this, in part, to an increased emphasis on academics as a result of the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act. Also, an increase in homes with two parents working full time meant that children spent more time in school and day care.

As for the increase in religious and youth group activity, Hofferth found that it occurred most often within two-parent families and, again, among children of college-educated mothers. “An increase in secularization of society fits in with an increase in concerns with the spiritual world. Also, the 2002-2003 data reflects 9-11 …There was an increase in church attendance.”

One area remains consistent across the previous two studies. Television is still a major part of free time. “There’s not been much change in use, but other media are taking over,” such as the Internet, computer and video games and even cell phones.

Despite competing interests, parents can make good use of unstructured time with their children, says Hofferth. “Families are spending a lot of time carpooling. That can be used for talking with kids. Spending mealtime together is a good time to catch up, too. Set priorities, and that will set your time.” —MAB

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