Parkinsonism & Related Disorders · Sep 30, 2025

The interplay between obesity and triglyceride-glucose index in modulating Parkinson's disease risk: A cross-sectional NHANES study of middle-aged and young adults

By Ma J, Li M, Lei Z

INTRODUCTION: The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is a newly proposed biomarker of insulin resistance, and its relationship with Parkinson's disease (PD) remains to be studied, particularly among individuals with obesity. This study examined the relationship between insulin resistance and PD risk, assessing whether obesity modulates this association. METHODS: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2003-2018) were analyzed, focusing on 6349 participants aged 20-65 years. Participants were stratified by body mass index (BMI), and multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationship between TyG index and PD risk in individuals with and without obesity. Odds ratio (OR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a logistic regression analysis model. RESULTS: A positive correlation between the TyG index and PD risk was observed in this cross-sectional analysis, specifically among individuals with obesity (OR = 2.21, 95 % CI: 1.32-3.7) but not in those without obesity (OR = 1.16, 95 % CI: 0.67-2.02). A statistically significant multiplicative interaction between obesity and the TyG index was identified(P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: The TyG index is significantly associated with PD risk, with obesity potentially playing a key role. This exploratory study suggests the TyG index may serve as a possible low-cost marker for identifying individuals with obesity at higher likelihood of having PD, though replication in population-based prospective studies is required before clinical application.

doi.org/10.1016/j.parkreldis.2025.108070PubMed 41046806Biomarkers