Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Reduced risk of Parkinson’s disease associated with lower body mass index and heavy leisure-time physical activity

  • NEUROEPIDEMIOLOGY
  • Published:
European Journal of Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The risk factors for Parkinson’s disease (PD) are not well established. We therefore examined the prediction of various lifestyle factors on the incidence of PD in a cohort drawn from the Finnish Mobile Clinic Health Examination Survey, conducted in 1973–1976. The study population comprised 6,715 men and women aged 50–79 years and free of PD at the baseline. All of the subjects completed a baseline health examination (including height and weight measurements) and a questionnaire providing information on leisure-time physical activity, smoking, and alcohol consumption. During a 22–year follow-up, 101 incident cases of PD occurred. The statistical analyses were based on Cox’s model including age, sex, education, community density, occupation, coffee consumption, body mass index (BMI), leisure-time physical activity, smoking and alcohol consumption as independent variables. At first, BMI was not associated with PD risk, but after exclusion of the first 15 years of follow-up, an elevated risk appeared at higher BMI levels (P for trend 0.02). Furthermore, subjects with heavy leisure-time physical activity had a lower PD risk than those with no activity [relative risk (RR) 0.27, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.08–0.90]. In variance with findings for other chronic diseases, current smokers had a lower PD risk than those who had never smoked (RR 0.23, 95 % CI 0.08–0.67), and individuals with moderate alcohol intake (at the level of <5 g/day) had an elevated PD risk compared to non-drinkers. The results support the hypothesis that lifestyle factors predict the occurrence of Parkinson’s disease, but more research is needed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Lang AE, Lozano AM. Parkinson’s disease. First of two parts. N Engl J Med. 1998;339(15):1044–53.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. de Lau LM, Breteler MM. Epidemiology of Parkinson’s disease. Lancet Neurol. 2006;5(6):525–35.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Wirdefeldt K, Adami HO, Cole P, Trichopoulos D, Mandel J. Epidemiology and etiology of Parkinson’s disease: a review of the evidence. Eur J Epidemiol. 2011;26(Suppl 1):S1–58.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Hu G, Jousilahti P, Nissinen A, Antikainen R, Kivipelto M, Tuomilehto J. Body mass index and the risk of Parkinson disease. Neurology. 2006;67(11):1955–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Abbott RD, Ross GW, White LR, et al. Midlife adiposity and the future risk of Parkinson’s disease. Neurology. 2002;59(7):1051–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Chen H, Zhang SM, Schwarzschild MA, Hernan MA, Willett WC, Ascherio A. Obesity and the risk of Parkinson’s disease. Am J Epidemiol. 2004;159(6):547–55.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Logroscino G, Sesso HD, Paffenbarger RS Jr, Lee IM. Body mass index and risk of Parkinson’s disease: a Prospective Cohort Study. Am J Epidemiol. 2007;166(10):1186–90.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Palacios N, Gao X, McCullough ML, et al. Obesity, diabetes, and risk of Parkinson’s disease. Mov Disord. 2011;26(12):2253–9.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Ma L, Zhang L, Gao XH, et al. Dietary factors and smoking as risk factors for PD in a rural population in China: a nested case-control study. Acta Neurol Scand. 2006;113(4):278–81.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Thacker EL, Chen H, Patel AV, et al. Recreational physical activity and risk of Parkinson’s disease. Mov Disord. 2008;23(1):69–74.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Chen H, Zhang SM, Schwarzschild MA, Hernan MA, Ascherio A. Physical activity and the risk of Parkinson disease. Neurology. 2005;64(4):664–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Logroscino G, Sesso HD, Paffenbarger RS Jr, Lee IM. Physical activity and risk of Parkinson’s disease: a prospective cohort study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2006;77(12):1318–22.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Kyrozis A, Ghika A, Stathopoulos P, Vassilopoulos D, Trichopoulos D, Trichopoulou A. Dietary and lifestyle variables in relation to incidence of Parkinson’s disease in Greece. Eur J Epidemiol. 2013;28(1):67–77.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Sasco AJ, Paffenbarger RS Jr, Gendre I, Wing AL. The role of physical exercise in the occurrence of Parkinson’s disease. Arch Neurol. 1992;49(4):360–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Hernan MA, Takkouche B, Caamano-Isorna F, Gestal-Otero JJ. A meta-analysis of coffee drinking, cigarette smoking, and the risk of Parkinson’s disease. Ann Neurol. 2002;52(3):276–84.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Hellenbrand W, Seidler A, Boeing H, et al. Diet and Parkinson’s disease. I: a possible role for the past intake of specific foods and food groups. Results from a self-administered food-frequency questionnaire in a case-control study. Neurology. 1996;47(3):636–43.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Hernan MA, Chen H, Schwarzschild MA, Ascherio A. Alcohol consumption and the incidence of Parkinson’s disease. Ann Neurol. 2003;54(2):170–5.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Grandinetti A, Morens DM, Reed D, MacEachern D. Prospective study of cigarette smoking and the risk of developing idiopathic Parkinson’s disease. Am J Epidemiol. 1994;139(12):1129–38.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Palacios N, Gao X, O’Reilly E, et al. Alcohol and risk of Parkinson’s disease in a large, prospective cohort of men and women. Mov Disord. 2012;27(8):980–7.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Paganini-Hill A. Risk factors for Parkinson’s disease: the leisure world cohort study. Neuroepidemiology. 2001;20(2):118–24.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Willems-Giesbergen P, de Rijk M, van Swieten J, Hofman A, Breteler MM. Smoking, Alcohol, and coffee consumption and the risk of PD: results from the Rotterdam Study. Neurology. 2000;54(Suppl 3):A347–8.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Wirdefeldt K, Gatz M, Pawitan Y, Pedersen NL. Risk and protective factors for Parkinson’s disease: a study in Swedish twins. Ann Neurol. 2005;57(1):27–33.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Sääksjärvi K, Knekt P, Rissanen H, Laaksonen MA, Reunanen A, Männistö S. Prospective study of coffee consumption and risk of Parkinson’s disease. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2008;62(7):908–15.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Gaig C, Tolosa E. When does Parkinson’s disease begin? Mov Disord. 2009;24(Suppl 2):S656–64.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Reunanen A, Aromaa A, Pyörälä K, Punsar S, Maatela J, Knekt P. The Social Insurance Institution’s coronary heart disease study. Baseline data and 5-year mortality experience. Acta Med Scand Suppl. 1983;673:1–120.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Malmivaara A, Heliovaara M, Knekt P, Reunanen A, Aromaa A. Risk factors for injurious falls leading to hospitalization or death in a cohort of 19,500 adults. Am J Epidemiol. 1993;138(6):384–94.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Heliövaara M, Aho K, Aromaa A, Knekt P, Reunanen A. Smoking and risk of rheumatoid arthritis. J Rheumatol. 1993;20(11):1830–5.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Heliövaara M. Epidemiology of sciatica and herniated lumbar intervertebral disc. ML:76. Social Insurance Institution: Helsinki; 1988. p. 49.

    Google Scholar 

  29. Jankovic J. Parkinson’s disease: clinical features and diagnosis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2008;79(4):368–76.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Schrag A, Ben-Shlomo Y, Quinn N. How valid is the clinical diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease in the community? J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2002;73(5):529–34.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Cox D. Regression models and life tables. J R Stat Soc B. 1972;34:187–220.

    Google Scholar 

  32. Chen H, Zhang SM, Hernan MA, Willett WC, Ascherio A. Weight loss in Parkinson’s disease. Ann Neurol. 2003;53(5):676–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Wang GJ, Volkow ND, Logan J, et al. Brain dopamine and obesity. Lancet. 2001;357(9253):354–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Cohen AD, Tillerson JL, Smith AD, Schallert T, Zigmond MJ. Neuroprotective effects of prior limb use in 6-hydroxydopamine-treated rats: possible role of GDNF. J Neurochem. 2003;85(2):299–305.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Anderson RF, Harris TA. Dopamine and uric acid act as antioxidants in the repair of DNA radicals: implications in Parkinson’s disease. Free Radic Res. 2003;37(10):1131–6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Green HJ, Fraser IG. Differential effects of exercise intensity on serum uric acid concentration. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1988;20(1):55–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Poulton NP, Muir GD. Treadmill training ameliorates dopamine loss but not behavioral deficits in hemi-parkinsonian rats. Exp Neurol. 2005;193(1):181–97.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Ritz B, Ascherio A, Checkoway H, et al. Pooled analysis of tobacco use and risk of Parkinson disease. Arch Neurol. 2007;64(7):990–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Evans AH, Lawrence AD, Potts J, et al. Relationship between impulsive sensation seeking traits, smoking, alcohol and caffeine intake, and Parkinson’s disease. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2006;77(3):317–21.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Chen H, Huang X, Guo X, et al. Smoking duration, intensity, and risk of Parkinson disease. Neurology. 2010;74(11):878–84.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Quik M, Perez XA, Bordia T. Nicotine as a potential neuroprotective agent for Parkinson’s disease. Mov Disord. 2012;27(8):947–57.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Chung SJ, Armasu SM, Anderson KJ, et al. Genetic susceptibility loci, environmental exposures, and Parkinson’s disease: a case-control study of gene-environment interactions. Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2013;19(6):595–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Sääksjärvi K, Knekt P, Männistö S, Heliövaara M. Self-administered questionnaire is a reliable measure of coffee consumption. J Epidemiol. 2010;20(5):363–9.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Weisskopf MG, Knekt P, O’Reilly EJ, et al. Persistent organochlorine pesticides in serum and risk of Parkinson disease. Neurology. 2010;74(13):1055–61.

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The work of K Sääksjärvi was supported by a grant from Doctoral Programs in Public Health, funded by the Ministry of Education.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health, Functional Capacity and Welfare, National Institute for Health and Welfare, P.O. Box 30, 00271, Helsinki, Finland

    Katri Sääksjärvi, Paul Knekt, Tuija Jääskeläinen & Markku Heliövaara

  2. Department of Chronic Disease Prevention, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland

    Satu Männistö & Noora Kanerva

  3. Department of Neurology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

    Jukka Lyytinen

Authors
  1. Katri Sääksjärvi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Paul Knekt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Satu Männistö
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jukka Lyytinen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Tuija Jääskeläinen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Noora Kanerva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Markku Heliövaara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Paul Knekt.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sääksjärvi, K., Knekt, P., Männistö, S. et al. Reduced risk of Parkinson’s disease associated with lower body mass index and heavy leisure-time physical activity. Eur J Epidemiol 29, 285–292 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-014-9887-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10654-014-9887-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation