LOSING weight in middle age might RAISE Alzheimer’s risk, study suggests

Weight loss in midlife has been linked to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s.

Being overweight or obese has long been known to increase the risk of dementia and older people are advised to stay slim to avoid the condition.

But researchers from Boston and China found that adults who lost body mass in midlife had a higher risk of developing dementia later in life.

They call for the ‘unexpected’ finding to be studied further to ensure that other lifestyle factors are not responsible for the increased risk.

The investigators identified a subgroup with a pattern of initially increasing BMI followed by decreasing BMI. Both occurred within middle age, which appeared to be central to the decline in the relationship between BMI and dementia.

The study’s lead author, Professor Rhoda Au, from Boston University, said: “If after steady weight gain which is common as one ages, there is an unexpected shift towards weight loss after median age, it would be good to consult with one”. health care provider and state why.’

The findings add to the evidence that the seeds of dementia are sown over many years, possibly even a lifetime.

Nearly 10 percent of American adults age 65 and older have dementia, while another 22 percent have mild cognitive impairment, according to Columbia University researchers.

Dementia is a global problem that affects 50 million people and is expected to dramatically increase to more than 150 million cases worldwide by 2050.

Meanwhile, obesity is responsible for some of the leading causes of preventable premature death, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. Approximately 42 percent of adults age 20 and older were obese in 2017 as of March 2020.

The American and Chinese team analyzed data from the Framingham Heart Study, a group of participants from the Massachusetts city followed for four decades.

Their weight was measured approximately every two to four years. Professor Au and his colleagues compared rates of dementia among those whose weight increased, decreased or remained stable.

Professor Au said: “These findings are important because previous studies looking at weight trajectories did not consider how patterns of weight gain/stability/loss might help signal that dementia is potentially imminent.”

The researchers found that the general trend of decreasing BMI was associated with an increased risk of developing dementia.

However, upon further exploration, they identified a subgroup with a pattern of increasing baseline BMI followed by decreasing BMI.

A decrease in body mass index (BMI) was associated with an increased risk of developing cognitive problems that affect memory, thinking, and social skills.

Both occurred within middle age, which appeared to be central to the decline in the relationship between BMI and dementia. The results appear online in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.

The results should not be interpreted as an endorsement for gaining extra pounds.

Obesity is linked to a litany of health problems including high blood pressure and cholesterol, inflammation, and cardiovascular death.

It increases the risk of heart disease, which kills 647,000 people each year in the US, making it the leading cause of death. Obesity has also been linked to 12 different types of cancer.