Golf and Risk of PD
- Stephanie Soto
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
As the weather gets warmer and the sun starts to shine longer, more and more people start hitting the golf course. While golf is great for things like coordination, balance, and exercise, but what about the field you are playing on? Is there a connection between the pesticides used and PD? Let's find out.
A recent study published in the Journal of American Medical Association examined the link between proximity of your home to a golf course and your risk of PD. Many golf courses in America use pesticides to maintain a pristine green course. The researches found that those with water systems that were more vulnerable to pesticide pollution had a higher prevalence of PD. They also found that living within 3 miles of a golf course may increase the risk of PD.
How did they find this?
Health records from 27 counties in Wisconsin and Minnesota starting in 1966 were included. If patients were diagnosed with PD, the researchers looked at anyone's address 2-3 years prior to symptom onset. They then collected data around their water sources and the distance from golf courses.
“We observed that risk of developing [Parkinson’s disease] was greatest for those living within 1 to 3 miles of a golf course and that the risk of [Parkinson’s disease] generally decreased with increasing distance from a golf course.”
In fact, living within 1 mile of a golf course showed an increase in risk 126% compared with living more than 6 miles away. The risk of PD increased by 82% in those who lived in regions with vulnerable groundwater.
There are some drawbacks to this study. We cannot apply a study conducted in Wisconsin and Minnesota to New York - the environment is different, the laws around public health are different, etc. The type of pesticides used in golf courses can change over time, so that again is a challenge.
The bottom line?
Eliminating as much of your environment risk is important. There does seem to be a link between pesticides and PD. Have a loved one that lives in a major city? Educate them on the impact that pollution has on their health. Have a loved one that is looking to buy a home? Share this blog post. Looking to relocate yourself? Take a look as your water source and proximity to major pollutants. Making healthy choices when we can where we can will go a long way.
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