The risk of developing Parkinson%26#8217;s disease may be reduced with moderate to vigorous exercise or other recreational activities, according to research that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology%26#8217;s 59th Annual Meeting in Boston, April 28 %26#8211; May 5, 2007.
The study followed more than 143,000 people with an average age of 63 over 10 years. In that time, 413 people developed Parkinson%26#8217;s disease. Researchers found that those with moderate to vigorous activity levels were 40 percent less likely to develop Parkinson%26#8217;s disease than those with no or light activity levels. Those with moderate to vigorous activity were exercising an average of a half hour per day or more.
"This study does not prove that exercise caused the lowered risk of Parkinson%26#8217;s disease %26#8211; it%26#8217;s possible that something else lowers the risk," said the study%26#8217;s lead author Evan L. Thacker, SM, from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, MA. "But considering all of the other benefits of exercise, it certainly doesn%26#8217;t hurt to make sure you get some moderate or vigorous exercise several times a week."
The researchers also looked at the participants%26#8217; activity level at age 40 and found that there was no significant relationship between the level of physical activity at age 40 and the risk of developing Parkinson%26#8217;s disease.
"If exercise truly does provide some protection against Parkinson%26#8217;s disease, the protection may be relatively short term," Thacker said. "However, in a previous study with a similar prospective design activity in early adulthood was related to lower risk for Parkinson%26#8217;s disease, so the jury%26#8217;s still out on this one."
Source: American Academy of Neurology
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