New research suggests that people living within one mile of a golf course face a higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease. The study found that these individuals have a 126% greater chance of developing the condition compared to those living more than six miles away.
US researchers suggest that chemicals used to maintain golf course fairways and greens could be causing the disease by leaking into water sources or escaping into the air. They also found that drinking water from groundwater service areas with a golf course could increase the risk of the disease twofold. The likelihood of developing Parkinson’s disease decreased by 13 per cent for every mile away from the green.
Also Read | Eating ultra-processed food may raise Parkinson’s risk, says study
The team used data from the Rochester Epidemiology Project (REP) to locate Parkinson’s patients who lived in Olmstead County, Minnesota, from 1991 to 2015. They also found the patients’ home addresses 2 or 3 years prior to the symptom onset to account for the delay in exposure. The findings were published in the journal JAMA Network Open.
“Our study complements and expands on the limited research on golf courses and Parkinson’s disease, but more research is required to comprehend the risks completely,” study investigator Brittany Krzyzanowski, PhD, assistant professor, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, said.
Parkinson’s disease is the world’s second most common neurodegenerative disorder, behind Alzheimer’s. Early symptoms often include tremors, stiffness, slowness of movement, and difficulty with balance and coordination
