Metabolic Syndrome Linked To Higher Risk Of Parkinson's Disease

Having a larger waistline, precocious humor unit and different consequence factors that dress up metabolic syndrome is associated pinch an accrued consequence of Parkinson's disease, according to a study published connected August 20, 2025, successful Neurology®, nan aesculapian diary of nan American Academy of Neurology. The study does not beryllium that metabolic syndrome causes Parkinson's disease; it only shows an association.

Metabolic syndrome is defined arsenic having 3 aliases much of nan pursuing consequence factors: excess belly fat, precocious humor pressure, precocious humor sugar, higher than normal triglycerides, which are a type of fat recovered successful nan blood, and debased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, aliases "good" cholesterol.

Parkinson's illness is nan 2nd astir communal neurodegenerative upset among older adults aft Alzheimer's disease, and metabolic syndrome affects an estimated 1 successful 4 adults and is highly modifiable. Our findings propose that metabolic syndrome whitethorn beryllium a modifiable consequence facet for Parkinson's disease. Future studies are needed to spot whether moving to power metabolic syndrome could thief forestall Parkinson's disease."

Weili Xu, PhD, study author, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

The study progressive 467,200 group pinch an mean property of 57; of those 38% had metabolic syndrome. The participants were followed for a median of 15 years. During that time, 3,222 group developed Parkinson's disease. For group without metabolic syndrome, nan incidence complaint for Parkinson's was 4.87 cases per 10,000 person-years, compared to 5.21 cases per 10,000 person-years for group who had metabolic syndrome. Person-years correspond some nan number of group successful nan study and nan magnitude of clip each personification spends successful nan study.

After adjusting for age, smoking status, beingness activity and genes that summation nan consequence of Parkinson's disease, researchers recovered that group pinch metabolic syndrome were astir 40% much apt to create Parkinson's illness than group without nan syndrome.

The researchers besides conducted a meta-analysis of each studies connected this taxable and confirmed nan uncovering that group pinch metabolic syndrome person an accrued consequence of Parkinson's disease. Combining nan existent study pinch 8 erstwhile studies, nan researchers recovered that group pinch metabolic syndrome were 29% much apt to create Parkinson's illness than group without nan syndrome.

"We besides recovered a higher consequence of Parkinson's illness for group pinch some metabolic syndrome and a familial susceptibility for Parkinson's disease," Xu said. "This suggests that maintaining metabolic wellness whitethorn beryllium particularly important for group who person genes that summation their consequence for Parkinson's disease."

A limitation of nan study was that astir of nan participants were achromatic people, truthful nan results whitethorn not beryllium nan aforesaid for different groups.

The study was supported by nan Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare, and nan Swedish Dementia Foundation.