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- Talking to a Loved One With Alzheimer’s
- 10 Powerful Ways to Commemorate Alzheimer’s Awareness Month
- Making the Most of Mealtimes for People With Alzheimer’s
- Family Members Provide 100 Hours a Month of Unpaid Care for Alzheimer’s
- Alzheimer’s Caregivers Should Be Screened for Depression
- Alzheimer’s Care Costs Far More Than Heart Disease or Cancer Care
- Obesity at Midlife May Speed Alzheimer’s Onset
- Hello from my mom
- Easing the Behavior Problems of Alzheimer’s Without Drugs
- When Alzheimer’s Leads to Legal Wrangles
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- Daytime Sleepiness May Be Early Warning Sign of Alzheimer’s
- Alzheimer’s Disease Increases the Risk of Falls
- High Blood Sugar Tied to Memory Decline
- Blood Test for Alzheimer’s Gets Closer
- Worried About Your Memory? Alzheimer’s May Not Be to Blame
- Brain Changes of Menopause May Promote Alzheimer’s
- Predicting Who Will Get Alzheimer’s
- Personality Changes Are Not the Earliest Sign of Alzheimer’s
- Midlife Heart Problems Raise Alzheimer’s Risk
- Anemia Tied to Mild Cognitive Impairment Risk
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- Music May Ease the Anxiety of Alzheimer’s
- Experimental Alzheimer’s Drug, Intepirdine, Disappoints in Study
- An Eye Scan for Alzheimer’s?
- Drug to treat Alzheimer’s is Ranked Highest
- Patients Often Fail to Adhere to Alzheimer’s Drug Schedules
- Could Treatments for Diabetes Help Treat Alzheimer’s?
- Pharmacists Can Aid in Alzheimer’s Care
- Two-Drug Combo May Ease the Agitation of Alzheimer’s
- Are New, More Effective Alzheimer’s Drugs on the Horizon?
- Nasal Spray Shows Promise as Alzheimer’s Treatment
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- Eat Fish, Fruit, Vegetables and Nuts for Brain Health
- Beet Compound Shows Promise Against Alzheimer’s
- A Single Night of Not Sleeping Tied to Alzheimer’s Brain Changes
- Should Alzheimer’s Patients Drink Coffee?
- Can a Salad a Day Help Keep Memory Sharp?
- Fitness in Midlife Tied to Lower Dementia Risk in Old Age
- Doctor’s Orders: Exercise for the Sake of Your Brain
- Positive Beliefs About Aging May Help Fend Off Alzheimer’s
- Brain Training May Help to Ward Off Dementia
- How Art Can Aid People With Alzheimer’s
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- Alzheimer’s Rates Could Double in Coming Decades
- Combining Care Program With Medication Reduces Alzheimer’s Symptoms By 750%
- Fisher Center Scientists make two new Significant Discoveries in the battle against Alzheimer’s
- Dementia Rates Are Slowing, but Alzheimer’s Cases Continue to Rise
- Fisher Center Scientists Create a Novel Imaging Technology Allowing the 3D Visualization of Brain Defects That Cause Alzheimer’s Disease
- Negative Beliefs About Aging Could Prime the Brain for Alzheimer’s
- Recognizing Faces Is a Challenge for Those With Alzheimer’s
- Fisher Center Scientists Discover Pathway That may Lead to Alzheimer’s Disease
- Brain Scans Move Closer to Early Alzheimer’s Diagnosis
- Can Vitamin E Slow Alzheimer’s Decline?
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- The Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation Earns Coveted 4-Star Rating from Charity Navigator for the 7th Consecutive Year
- Hear Kent Karosen, President and CEO of the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation, describe his new book and the power of art therapy
- Fisher Center Scientists link a Mutation That Protects Against the Development of Alzheimer’s Disease
- Newly Inducted Into the Basketball Hall of Fame, Shaquille O’Neal, Joins the Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation to Raise Funds for Groundbreaking Research in the Quest for a Cure
- Pat Summitt, legendary women’s basketball coach, dies at 64
- Celebrating the life of Nancy Reagan for her Impact on the Fight to end Alzheimer’s
- WRNN Interview
- Fisher Center’s 20th Anniversary Celebration and recent activities
- Featured on NASDAQ’s Billboard
- Online Chat on Reddit.com with Nobel Laureate Dr. Paul Greengard
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Exploring the Link Between Body Weight and Alzheimer’s
October 17, 2007
Carrying excess weight has been linked to a variety of chronic ailments, including heart disease, strokes, and diabetes. Being overweight in middle age has also been linked to an increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease late in life. But, a new study suggests, overweight seniors do not appear to be at high risk for memory problems. In fact, seniors who were underweight were more likely to be at risk for Alzheimer’s disease, the study found.
The six-year study, reported in the medical journal Neurology, examined 3,885 seniors living in Chicago. Nearly a fourth of the men and women were overweight or obese.
All were given memory tests at the start of the study, with regular follow-ups over the next six years. The researchers, from Rush University Medical Center, found that overweight or obese seniors were not at higher risk for developing memory problems.
“We do not know yet why being overweight or obese does not increase the risk for cognitive decline in old age,” said study author Maureen T. Sturman, MD, MPH. “While past studies have found obesity in middle age increases a person’s risk for dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, our findings show obesity in old age has no effect on a person’s memory.”
Underweight seniors, on the other hand, did show a greater decline in memory and thinking skills over time. “Being underweight may be a correlate of the initial stages of Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr. Sturman. “These findings are consistent with previous studies showing that weight loss or low body mass index in old age may be a precursor of cognitive decline or Alzheimer’s disease.”
One recent study, for example, found that women who have dementia start losing weight at least 10 years before the disease is diagnosed. [See the article, “Weight Loss May Occur Years Before Alzheimer’s Onset in Women.”] One reason may be that loss of initiative, along with a loss of sense of smell, in the very early stages of memory loss would discourage seniors from eating nutritious and regular meals.
Still, nobody is suggesting that seniors pack on pounds to help stave off Alzheimer’s disease. Carrying excess weight during the middle and seniors years is associated with a list of physical ills, like heart disease, arthritis, and diabetes. And while this particular study did not find a direct link between excess weight and memory problems, more research is needed to clarify the association between obesity and Alzheimer’s.
The best bet is likely to try to maintain a normal weight and good nutrition through a heart-healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
For more on the care and prevention of Alzheimer’s disease, visit www.ALZinfo.org.
By www.ALZinfo.org, The Alzheimer’s Information Site. Reviewed by William J. Netzer, Ph.D., Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research Foundation at The Rockefeller University.
Source:
M.T. Sturman, MD, MPH, C.F. Mendes de Leon, PhD, J. Lienias, Scd, et al: “Body Mass Index and Cognitive Decline in a Biracial Community Population.” Neurology, September 19, 2007.