Consuming at least three servings of sorbets or frozen yogurts, namely low-fat dairy products, per day increases the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
- More than 167,000 people suffer from Parkinson’s disease in France.
- Drinking more than one serving of skimmed and low-fat milk a day increases the risk of developing Parkinson’s disease by 39%.
When temperatures rise, the urge to cool off is felt. While some opt for fruity drinks, others prefer to enjoy frozen desserts, such as sorbets or frozen yogurts. But according to American researchers, excessive consumption of these low-fat dairy products is linked to a higher risk of suffering from Parkinson’s disease. To reach this conclusion, they carried out a study published in the journal Neurology.
129,346 attendees
For the purposes of this work, the scientists analyzed data from the “Nurses’ Health Study” cohort, involving 80,736 women, and the “Health Professionals’ Follow-up Study”, including 48,610 men. The volunteers were followed between the ages of 24 and 26. They had to answer questions about their health every two years and complete a questionnaire about their diet every four years. The team also looked at the types of dairy products consumed by each person, including milk, fresh cream, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, butter, margarine, sorbets and frozen yogurt.
An increased risk of Parkinson’s disease
According to the results, 1,036 adults developed Parkinson’s disease during follow-up. According to the authors, no link has been established between the consumption of “fat” dairy products and the risk of this neurodegenerative disease. In contrast, participants who consumed at least three servings of low-fat dairy products per day had a 34% higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease than those who consumed less than one serving per day.
They found that consuming sorbets or frozen yogurts was linked to an increased risk of suffering from this condition. “Frequent consumption of low-fat dairy products has been associated with a modest increase in the risk of Parkinson’s disease”, concluded Katherine C. Hughes, author of the study, in a statement.
