http://www.themedguru.com/20110308/n...likely-suffer-
dementia-study-86143936.html

Over the years, obesity has been linked with several health conditions
such as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, breathing
problems during sleep, osteoarthritis, and certain types of cancer.

Now, as per an Australian study, older adults are at increased risk of
suffering from dementia later in life (after 60), if they were either
underweight or obese in their 40-60s.

While commenting on the worrisome study findings, lead-researcher and a
professor at the Centre for Mental Health Research at the Australian
National University, Kaarin Anstey, said in a press statement, "We found
that, in mid-life, being overweight does in fact increase the risk of
Alzheimer's Disease. This risk is even greater for those who fall into the
category of obese.”

Dementia is a serious loss of brain functioning and occurs due to certain
diseases. Most forms of dementia are degenerative and affect victim’s
memory, judgment, behavior, thinking, and language.

About research
To arrive at this startling conclusion, researchers thoroughly analyzed
data collected by reliable long-term studies that were conducted with the
sole aim to find out whether bodyweight can increase individual's chances
of suffering from dementia.

In the study, over 25,000 people were studied and after careful analysis,
Australian researchers noted that risk of dementia increased in obese
people over the age of 60, if they were overweight in their mid-life (40-
60).

“This evidence suggests that, while the hormones present in body-fat were
previously believed to protect cognitive function, excess fat in middle
age is in fact extremely harmful,” noted researchers.

Researchers also discovered that older adults (over 60) were also at
increased risk of falling prey to dementia, if they were extremely
underweight in their mid-life.

Disturbing study findings
Study researchers added that findings are highly-worrisome and there’s a
need to take some serious measures to combat the problem of growing
obesity menace.

"Practitioners and policy-makers should be concerned, not just with the
short-term effects obesity has on quality of life, but also about the
long-term effects that obesity can have on the aging process,” said
Anstey.

Researchers believe, in coming years, they could witness increase in
dementia cases, if the obesity rate does not fall.

"Reducing the impact of obesity on the prevalence and incidence of
dementia should be a priority for governments, health providers and the
general public," concluded Anstey.

The study titled ‘Body mass index in mid-life and late-life as a risk
factor for dementia: a meta-analysis of prospective studies' recently
appeared in the journal ‘Obesity Reviews.’