WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A new study suggests that people who live near golf courses may face a higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease. While the study does not claim that golf courses directly cause the disease, researchers believe that the heavy use of pesticides on golf course fairways and greens could be a key factor.
The researchers suggest that these chemicals may spread through the air or water, potentially exposing nearby residents to harmful substances. The research, led by Brittany Krzyzanowski of the Barrow Neurological Institute in the United States, was published in JAMA Network Open.
The study analyzed health data collected between 1991 and 2015 from the Rochester Epidemiology Project, which covers parts of southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin. It compared 419 individuals diagnosed with Parkinson's disease to over 5,000 people of similar age and sex who did not have the disease.
The findings showed that people living 1 to 2 miles from a golf course had nearly three times the odds of developing Parkinson's, while those 2 to 3 miles away had just over double the risk. The risk dropped by about 13 percent for each mile beyond three miles.
Additionally, the study found that people who lived in areas where drinking water came from sources near golf courses faced a 96 percent higher risk of Parkinson's, regardless of how close they lived to the course itself.
Meanwhile, previous research has identified pesticide exposure as a possible environmental trigger for Parkinson's. In the United States, golf courses are often treated with pesticides at rates up to 15 times higher than in Europe, raising serious concerns about long-term health effects on surrounding communities.
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