Table 1. Characteristics of Studies Included in the Meta-Analysis.
| Authors (published year, location) | Years offollow-up | Participants | Age range, y | Sample size | BMI determinants | ARC definitions | Outcome types | Study quality |
| Schaumberg et al.32 (2000, USA) | 13.7 | Volunteers | 40–84 | 20271 men | Self-reported | Self-reported with confirmation | Any type, NC, CC, PSC, Extraction | 6 |
| Tan et al.17 (2008, Australia) | 10.5 | Population-based | ≥49 | 2564 | Measured | Standard criteria | NC, CC,PSC, Extraction | 9 |
| Weintraub et al.12 (2002, USA) | 10 (male) 16 (female) | Volunteers | ≥45 | 45549 men 87682 women | Self-reported | Self-reported with confirmation | Extraction (Any type, NC,PSC) | 6 |
| Yoshida et al.33 (2000, Japan) | 5 | Population-based | ≥50 | 35365 men 40825 women | Self-reported | Self-reported | Any type | 6 |
| Lindblad et al.15 (2008, Sweden) | 8.2 | Population-based | 49–83 | 35369 women | Self-reported | National register | Extraction | 6 |
| Hiller et al.31 (1998, USA) | 12.5 | Population-based | 52–80 | 714 | Measured | Standard criteria | Any type, NC, CC, PSC | 8 |
| Richter et al.16 (2012, USA) | 4 | Population-based | ≥40 | 3471 | Measured | Standard criteria | NC, CC, PSC | 6 |
| Chang et al.4 (2011, USA) | 9.8 | Hospital-based | 55–80 | 4425 | Measured | Standard criteria | Any type, NC, CC, PSC, Extraction | 7 |
| Appleby et al.29 (2011, UK) | 11.4 | Population-based | ≥40 | 27670 | Self-reported | National register | Any type | 7 |
| Chodick et al.30 (2008, USA) | 20 | Volunteers | 23–44 | 35705 | Self-reported | Self-reported | Any type | 6 |
| Mares et al.18 (2010, USA) | 6 | Population-based | 50–79 | 1808 women | Self-reported | Standard criteria | NC | 7 |
| Glynn et al.10 (2009, USA) | 13 | Volunteers | 40–84 | 20599 men | Self-reported | Self-reported with confirmation | NC, CC, PSC | 6 |
| Klein et al.35 (2003, USA) | 5 | Population-based | 43–84 | 4926 | Self-reported | Standard criteria | NC, CC, PSC | 7 |
| Williams.11 (2009, USA) | 7 | Volunteers | 38–44 | 29025 men 11967 women | Self-reported | Self-reported | Any type | 5 |
| Zhang et al.36 (2011, China) | 5 | Population-based | ≥45 | 3251 | Measured | Standard criteria | NC, CC, PSC | 6 |
| Leske et al.13 (2002, Barbados) | 4 | Population-based | 40–84 | 3427 | Measured | Standard criteria | NC | 8 |
| Karppi et al.34 (2012, Finland) | 4 | Population-based | 61–80 | 1689 | Measured | Standard criteria | NC | 8 |
ARC: age-related cataract; BMI: body mass index; CC: cortical cataract; NC: nuclear cataract; PSC: posterior subcapsular cataract.