Epidemiological evidence that physical activity is not a risk factor for ALS
Abstract
To elucidate whether physical activity (PA) and sport increase the risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a literature review of epidemiological studies was conducted according to the Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Six databases (Pubmed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, IngentaConnect, Refdoc and the Cochrane database) were searched to April 2014. Experts were asked to identify studies in press. Studies of interest were examined for their level of evidence and synthetized using Armon's classification for exogenous risk factors for ALS. Of 37 epidemiological works included in the review, two (5.5%) provided class I evidence, and five (13.5%) class II. Others offered evidence of class III (n = 8, 21.6%), IV (n = 16, 43.2%) and V (n = 6, 16.2%). Results were stratified according to type of exposure: (1) PA related to sport and work (n = 14), (2) soccer and American football (n = 9), (3) occupation (n = 12), (4) proxies of PA (n = 2). Among articles which considered "PA related to sport and work", two class I studies and one class II study concluded that PA is not a risk factor for ALS. This evidence establishes (level A) that PA is not a risk factor for ALS. As regards "occupational related activity" a level of evidence of U was obtained (it is unknown whether the professional category "physical worker" is a risk factor for ALS). Football/soccer may be considered as a possible risk factor for ALS (level C) and there is a need for furthe…
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Several extensive literature reviews report no evidence for a link between sports- or work-related physical activity and ALS.
“With several extensive literature reviews reporting no evidence for a link between sports‐ or work‐related physical activity and ALS (Armon, 2007; Hamidou et al., 2014; Veldink et al., 2005), it was proposed that not increased physical activity per se, but rather a—yet unknown—genetic profile or lifestyle‐promoting physical fitness increases ALS susceptibility (Huisman et al., 2013; Turner, Wotton”
From Prevalence of potential sports‐associated risk factors in Swiss amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients (2017) · cites this paper as Hamidou et al., 2014
Cites
Kiernan, M. C., Vucic, S., Cheah, B. C., Turner, M. R., Eisen, A., Hardiman, O., Burrell, J. R., & Zoing, M. C. (2011) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(10)61156-7 · Cited by 2,603 · see citing works
Severely increased risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis among Italian professional football players
Chio, A. (2005) · Brain · doi:10.1093/brain/awh373 · Cited by 484 · see citing works
ALS in Italian professional soccer players: The risk is still present and could be soccer-specific
Chiò, A., Calvo, A., Dossena, M., Ghiglione, P., Mutani, R., & Mora, G. (2009) · Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis · doi:10.1080/17482960902721634 · Cited by 180 · see citing works
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Wang, M.-D., Little, J., Gomes, J., Cashman, N. R., & Krewski, D. (2017) · NeuroToxicology · doi:10.1016/j.neuro.2016.06.015 · Cited by 233 · see citing works
Feddermann‐Demont, N., Junge, A., Weber, K. P., Weller, M., Dvořák, J., & Tarnutzer, A. A. (2017) · Brain and Behavior · doi:10.1002/brb3.630 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
“With several extensive literature reviews reporting no evidence for a link between sports- or work- related physical activity and ALS (Armon, 2007; Hamidou et al., 2014; Veldink et al., 2005), it was proposed that not increased physical activity per se, but rather a—yet unknown—genetic profile or…”
BackgroundWatanabe, Y., & Watanabe, T. (2017) · European Journal of Epidemiology · doi:10.1007/s10654-017-0327-y · Cited by 27 · see citing works
- Authors
- Hamidou, B., Couratier, P., Besançon, C., Nicol, M., Preux, P. M., & Marin, B.
- Affiliations
- Inserm (FR)
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Venue
- European Journal of Epidemiology
- Published
- 2014-07
- Volume
- 29
- Issue
- 7
- Pages
- 459-475
- ISSN
- 0393-2990 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-7284
- OpenAlex
- W2121415955
- Cited by
- 55
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 3
- FWCI
- 1.14
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- European Journal of Epidemiology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Neurology › Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Orthopedics and Sports Medicine › Sports injuries and prevention
- Keywords
- amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, physical activity, sport, occupational physical activity, soccer, American football, risk factors, physical workers
- MeSH terms
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Football, Humans, Motor Activity, Occupations, Risk Factors, Soccer, Sports, Epidemiologic Studies, Occupational Exposure
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