Obesity increases risk of Alzheimer's disease

Obese middle-aged adults have an increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia later in life. Exactly why obesity is linked to dementia is not completely clear, but the higher rates of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other conditions that are common among obese adults seem to offer a partial explanation. Researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm conducted a study of 1,449 Finnish adults followed since the 1970s. It was found that those who were obese in middle age were more likely to develop dementia during the study period than their thinner peers. Although some of the association seemed to be explained by higher rates of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking among overweight men and women, obesity alone was still linked to a two-fold increase in dementia risk. A number of studies have pointed to an important role for lifestyle in the risk of dementia, including the most common form, Alzheimer's disease. Research suggests that a healthy diet, exercise and staying mentally active, reading and doing crossword puzzles, for example can help stave off dementia. On the other hand, diseases that damage the blood vessels and impair blood flow, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol, have been linked to an increased risk of dementia. Study participants who were obese and had elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure were six times more likely to develop dementia than men and women without those conditions. The more the vascular risk factors, the greater the risk for dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The findings suggest that eliminating even one of these risk factors could cut a person's risk of dementia. Further studies are required to look into whether weight loss makes a difference in dementia risk.