(Daily Mail) — Obesity and high blood pressure lead to faster mental decline in the over-50s, researchers warn.
A study shows that being fat and having other risk factors for heart disease and diabetes accelerates the loss of memory and other cognitive skills.
Over the course of a decade, obese participants’ brains aged 3.8 years more than those of a healthy weight.
The fattest participants had a 22.5 per cent faster drop-off in test scores compared with those who were a healthy size and had fewer risk factors.
Experts warn that obesity in middle-age could be a major risk factor for developing dementia in later life, as well as conditions such as diabetes.
The claim has been strengthened after the study by scientists at the French medical research institution INSERM examining the mental skills, body mass index and general health of 6,401 adults with an average age of 50.
Researchers took note of so-called ‘metabolic abnormalities’ such as high blood pressure, low levels of ‘good’ cholesterol, high blood sugar and whether participants took diabetes medication.
A third of the participants had two or more of these risk factors, while 9 per cent were obese (defined as having a BMI above 30) and 38 per cent were overweight (with a BMI of between 25 and 29.9).
The participants then took tests on memory and other cognitive skills three times over ten years. Those who were overweight or obese and had at least two metabolic abnormalities showed the fastest decline.
Over the course of the study, those who were both obese and ‘metabolically abnormal’ experienced a 22.5 per cent faster decline on their scores than those who were a normal weight with no abnormalities.
Among a middle-aged sub-group of participants who had an average age of 56 at the start of testing, researchers found a decline in scores equivalent to an extra 3.8 years of ageing among those who were obese.
(3 votes, average: 4.67 out of 5)
Loading ...
Loading ...
I am not happy with the information you just released. I am about 50lbs over weight (gained after gallbladder was removed) I am 70 yrs old and have normal blood pressure, not a diabetic and according to my doctor my cholesterol is perfect. I am still building website for major firms on part time basis, I guess my mental acuities are still functioning. When I go shopping and get to the cash register I have the total calculated including taxes before the cashier so I guess I am still functioning as well as a thin person if not better.
The reason you still have your mental acuity is probably because you do not take drugs.
It is amazing to me that a study like this could be conducted without taking into consideration what medications the participants are on. Medications, NOT obesity, cause side effects, including loss of cognitive abilities.
Also what is not said is that obesity can lead to conditions like diabetes and heart disease and high blood pressure and–guess what? These all are treated by the average doctor with DRUGS.
If you are managing with your extra weight, good for you. Are you eating a healthy diet of whole foods (not the processed stuff)? As long as you are supplying your body with the necessary nutrients to support all your organs and systems, don’t worry about what you weigh. It’s just a number.
I cook my own meals. I eat lot of fruits and vegetables. Eat some meat not much. Do not purchase prepackaged foods. I eat greek yogurt and Kefir. I guess you could say I eat healthy.
I found it difficult to truly obtain stable BP reading until I eliminated ALL meat, dairy and oil. My diet is just fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains.
I had sporadic results on the DASH diet which allows meat, dairy and oil.
I maintain my weight, cholesterol and blood pressure by eliminating meats, dairy, eggs and only a very rarely treat myself with dessert or alcohol. It cut my cholesterol in half and no medications for BP. Before changing my died, I had started a medication for fast heart rate but it made my BP dangerously low. I was able to taper off as I put my change in diet helped me drop a few pounds so I am just around BMI of 24.5 now (before was around 25.1). It goes to show what we can do without the chemicals.
Nice work Suzanne. This is very close to the diet regimen I follow with fantastic results. Basically it’s no meat, dairy and OIL just fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains, keeping the sugar, sodium and alcohol low. Throw in some daily exercise and that was all it took to see my BP numbers plummet.