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A RECENT study published in JAMA Network Open found that people who live within two miles of a golf course are nearly three times more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease.
According to a Medical Daily report published Wednesday (5/14), Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects movement and coordination. Common symptoms include tremors, stiffness, slowness of movement, and balance problems. Although the exact cause is unknown, genetic and environmental factors are thought to play a role.
The study explained that the highest risk for residents in water supply areas where golf courses are located is in areas prone to groundwater contamination. This increased risk is linked to the excessive use of pesticides on golf courses, which in the United States are used at levels up to 15 times higher than in many European countries.
These chemicals can leach into the soil and contaminate groundwater, raising serious concerns about the safety of local drinking water. For the study, researchers analyzed medical records from the Rochester Epidemiology Project, which covered 27 counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin between 1991 and 2015.
They looked at the relationship between living near a golf course and the risk of Parkinson’s disease, focusing on areas surrounding 139 golf courses.
“We observed that the 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 the golf course,” the researchers said.
We also found that individuals who obtained their drinking water from water systems with golf courses were nearly twice as likely to develop PD compared with individuals who obtained their drinking water from water systems without golf courses.
The researchers found that while the risk of Parkinson’s disease remained stable for those living within three miles of a golf course, the risk decreased by 13 percent for every mile beyond that.
Pesticides such as organophosphates, chlorpyrifos, methylchlorophenoxypropionic acid (MCPP), 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), maneb, and organochlorines, which are known to be linked to Parkinson’s disease, are commonly used on golf courses. [antaranews/photo special]
