Dementia is a serious global health problem. Right now, about 50 million people have dementia, and that number is expected to rise to over 150 million by the year 2050.
At the same time, obesity is also a growing problem around the world. It is usually measured using something called Body Mass Index (BMI).
In the past, some studies suggested that being overweight during midlife may increase the risk of getting dementia later on. But researchers have not been sure exactly how weight and dementia are connected.
Now, a new study led by scientists from Boston University and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences has found that changes in a person’s weight over time might help predict their risk of developing dementia.
The researchers used data from the well-known Framingham Heart Study. This study followed a group of people for 39 years, checking their weight every two to four years.
The scientists looked at how people’s weight changed over time—whether it stayed the same, went up, or went down—and compared these patterns between those who developed dementia and those who did not.
They discovered that people whose BMI (a measure of body fat) went down over time were more likely to develop dementia. But they also noticed something more specific: People whose weight first increased and then unexpectedly dropped during midlife were especially at risk.
According to Professor Rhoda Au, the lead researcher, this kind of weight pattern might be an early warning sign of dementia. Since most people and doctors already monitor weight as part of regular health checkups, noticing an unexpected drop in weight after years of gaining could be a useful clue.
It may be a good idea to speak with a doctor to find out what’s causing the weight loss.
The researchers say that dementia usually develops over many years, so changes like these in midlife might help catch the disease early. Early detection could become even more important in the future, as new treatments for dementia are being developed.
This study gives hope that dementia is not something we must accept as inevitable. By paying attention to changes in weight and acting early, there may be ways to delay or even prevent the disease.
If you care about dementia, please read studies about Common drug for constipation is linked to higher dementia risk and findings of Scientists find link between heartburn drugs and increased dementia risk.
For more about dementia, please read studies about Scientists find a drug related to Viagra may help treat vascular dementia and findings of link between body inflammation and dementia risk.
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