Midlife Obesity Linked To Alzheimer Disease

When and How

From aboutHealth.com Obesity has been linked to type 2 diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure just to name a few, but now researchers tell us that excess body fat can also cause Alzheimer disease. Boy, that's scary.

Researchers have specifically found that obesity in middle age predicts an earlier onset of Alzheimer disease—and a higher burden of disease (meaning that the disease will be more severe when it hits).

In an analysis of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, researchers looked at the relationship between midlife body mass index (BMI) and the time of onset of Alzheimer disease as well as the severity of the disease.s

The study authors found that higher BMI in middle age (50 years of age) was associated with an earlier onset of Alzheimer disease as well as higher measures of disease severity.

The researchers found that there was more amyloid deposition (a defining factor of Alzheimer disease) in the brain of patients with a higher midlife BMI, as compared with those who had a healthy BMI at age 50.

This indicates a more severe form of the disease.

The researchers concluded that a healthy BMI at midlife may thus delay the onset of Alzheimer disease.

Obesity and Dementia

Earlier studies have consistently shown that obesity is associated with dementia. In another study similar to the one above, but conducted in eastern Finland, researchers followed patients for a total of 26 years, measuring their BMI at an average age of 50 as well as later, at an average age of 71. The researchers observed which patients developed dementia later in life, and found that, again, higher midlife BMI was associated with a higher risk of dementia and Alzheimer disease.

An analysis of the Swedish Twin Registry by researchers concluded that “both overweight and obesity at midlife independently increase the risk of dementia [and Alzheimer disease].” 

Stave Off Weight Gain in Middle Age

The evidence seems clear at this point: overweight and obesity at midlife puts one at a higher risk of developing dementia as well as an earlier onset of Alzheimer disease.

Unfortunately, midlife is also a time at which many individuals tend to gain weight, as metabolism slows down a bit and many become more sedentary.

Knowing this, however, should lead to greater vigilance in middle age to keep up an active lifestyle and eat healthfully.

Note: for more information on Alzheimer disease itself, check out About.com’s dedicated site at alzheimers.about.com.

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