A new study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology examines the links of age, smoking and physical activity as factors associated with Parkinson’s.
Previous studies have examined the link between physical activity and Parkinson’s, but the findings were inconclusive because of difficulties interpreting the results.
Researchers from the Technical University of Munich, Germany, and the Stanford University School of Medicine, US, assessed how physical activity and lifestyle factors impact the development of Parkinson’s.
They invited 7347 male veterans from the Veterans Exercise Testing Study (VETS) – an ongoing physical evaluation program – to take part in the study. The average age of those who took part was 59.
During the period of the study – which was 12 years on average – 94 participants or 1.3% of those studied had developed Parkinson’s.
Researchers found that high physical fitness, current smoking and younger age were associated with a lower incidence of Parkinson’s disease.
Commenting on the study, researchers said: “These findings parallel those of several epidemiological studies focusing on physical activity and the onset of Parkinson’s disease. Together, these observations provide strong support for recommending physical activity to diminish the risk of Parkinson’s disease.”
View the full study from the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology here.