- The risk of developing Parkinson'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's 59th Annual Meeting in Boston, April 28 –May 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's
disease. Researchers found that those with moderate to vigorous
activity levels were 40 percent less likely to develop Parkinson'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's disease – it's possible that something else lowers the
risk," said the study'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't hurt to make
sure you get some moderate or vigorous exercise several times a
week."

The researchers also looked at the participants' 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's disease.

"If exercise truly does provide some protection against Parkinson'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's disease, so the jury's still out on this one."


4/23/07(EruekAlert)