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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Med.
Sec. Ophthalmology
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1483852

Impact of Physical Indicators on Ocular Development in Preschool Children

Provisionally accepted
Xiangxiang Liu Xiangxiang Liu 1Jing Fu Jing Fu 1*Lei Li Lei Li 1Peipei Liu Peipei Liu 1Yunyun Sun Yunyun Sun 1Huijian Li Huijian Li 1Yuanbin Li Yuanbin Li 1Bidan Zhu Bidan Zhu 2Shana Wang Shana Wang 2Xi Qin Xi Qin 2
  • 1 Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
  • 2 Beijing Tongzhou Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Understanding the impact of early childhood physical growth on visual development is crucial, as this period marks a critical phase for foundational physical and ocular maturation. The aim of the current study was to investigate the associations between the anthropometric indicators of height, weight, and body mass index (BMI), as well as visual acuity, refraction, and ocular biometrics, in Chinese preschool children.This cross-sectional study consisted of 1477 Chinese 3-to 6-year-old preschool children from nine kindergartens in Tongzhou District, Beijing. Demographic data, height and weight were measured according to a standard protocol, and BMI was calculated. Refractive error was measured via autorefraction in eyes under cycloplegia. Axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness, and corneal curvature were measured via an IOL Master. The axial length-corneal radius (AL-CR ratio) was defined as the AL divided by the mean corneal radius of curvature. Multivariate linear regression models were used to explore the cross-sectional associations between physical indicators (height, weight and BMI) and visual acuity and ocular developmental parameters in boys and girls.Compared with the children in the fourth quartile for height for a given age and sex, the visual acuity in the fourth quartile was 0.08 less, the refraction was 0.11 D more negative (1.22 D versus 1.33 D), the axial length was 0.62 mm longer, the anterior chamber depth was 0.18 mm deeper, the lens thickness was 0.13 mm thinner, the corneal radius of curvature was 0.1 mm less, and the AL-CR ratio was higher after adjustments were made for age and weight. The association between BMI and visual acuity was statistically significant in girls but not in boys. Older and more obese children had better visual acuity (p<0.001) after adjustments were made for age.Height and higher BMI remained independently related to VA condition, AL and ACD elongation, and corneal flattening in preschool children after controlling for various covariates.These results provide critical insights into pediatric ocular health and emphasize the importance of early detection and intervention in both physical and ocular health in early childhood development.

    Keywords: height, weight, Body Mass Index, Visual Acuity, refraction

    Received: 29 Aug 2024; Accepted: 04 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Liu, Fu, Li, Liu, Sun, Li, Li, Zhu, Wang and Qin. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Jing Fu, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China

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