Association Between Healthy Eating Index‐2015 and the Risk of Parkinson's Disease in American Adults: A Cross‐Sectional Study From NHANES 2003–2018

Diet and nutrition significantly influence Parkinson's disease (PD) progression and risk reduction. The Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI-2015) effectively assesses diet quality. This study investigates the link between HEI-2015 scores and PD risk in the US population. We analyzed data from 80 241 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) participants from 2003 to 2018 using weighted logistic regression and restricted cubic spline to explore non-linear links between HEI-2015 and PD risk. Subgroup analyses were conducted to assess variations influenced by confounding factors. After adjusting for potential confounders in both univariate and multivariate logistic regression models, individuals with PD had significantly lower HEI-2015 scores compared to those without PD. The restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis found no non-linear relationship between HEI-2015 scores and PD risk. However, in our subgroup, individuals aged 50-60, females, non-Hispanic Whites, those with higher education and income, heavy alcohol consumers, and those without diabetes were notable. Enhancing the nutritional quality of one's diet could potentially lower the risk of PD.