BEIJING, April 20 (Xinhuanet) -- A study in U.S. shows that consuming large amounts of dairy products may increase the rate of Parkinson's disease in men, but the reason remains unknown, media reported Friday. 

    The findings are based on detailed dietary and lifestyle information collected from 57,689 men and 73,175 women who took part in a cancer prevention study. Over 9 years, 250 men and 138 women were diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

    Men with the highest levels of dairy consumption were 60 percent more likely to develop the disease than those who consumed the least amounts of dairy, the study found.

    Men in the highest-intake group consumed an average of 815 grams of dairy per day, which is roughly equivalent to three to four glasses of milk; those in the lowest-intake group consumed 78 grams of dairy per day, on average.

    It's not clear what effect dairy foods might have on women's risk of the disease. Nor is it known why there is a relationship seen in men, said the lead study author Dr. Honglei Chen, a researcher at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

    Larger studies are needed to find out which dairy products might be responsible, and why, according to Chen.

    Milk, rather than dairy products like yogurt and cheese, explained most of the association, according to Chen.

    For now, Chen said, there is no reason to shun dairy because of the potential relationship to Parkinson's disease. "Given some of the potential health benefits of dairy foods, people can still enjoy their moderate amounts."

    (Agencies)