According to a 20 year study carried out in Sweden, and published in the Archives of Neurology, people who are overweight or obese have a greater risk of developing Alzheimers and dementia as they get older.
How do researchers distinguish between overweight and obese? Using an individuals BMI (Body Mass Index) as a guide. BMI takes into account height and weight, and a healthy BMI score is usually below 25. A score of 25 to 30 indicates that you are overweight, and a BMI of above 30 indicates that you are obese.
So how does body weight impact on cognitive ability? In previous studies researchers found a link between a decline in cognitive ability and hypertension caused by obesity. This decline has also been linked with high levels of cholesterol found in a poor diet.
However, researchers found that if you are overweight losing a few pounds and improving your diet can increase your ‘good’ cholesterol and therefore reduce the risk of hypertension. What’s good for your body can also be good for your mind.
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