Playing Football May Increase Risk Of Developing Parkinson’s Disease, Researchers Say
CNN (8/11, Viswanathan) reported, “Playing football might increase the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease,” investigators concluded. Utilizing “data from a large online survey sponsored by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, researchers found that participants who had a history of playing organized tackle football were 61% more likely to report a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis or parkinsonism...compared with those who played other organized sports.” Additionally, the study revealed that “participants who played football at higher levels – professionally or in college – were nearly three times as likely to have Parkinson’s or parkinsonism compared with those who played at the youth or high school levels.”HealthDay (8/11, Mann) reported, “For the study, researchers evaluated 1,875 athletes, including 729 men who played football, predominantly at the amateur level, and 1,146 men who played other sports.” The findings were published online in JAMA Network Open.
