The study of the examination, conducted by Professor Kaarin Anstey of the Centre for the investigation of mental health at the College of medicine, biology & environment, ANU revealed that the people who are of very low birth weight, overweight or obese mid-life (40 to 60 years) have an increased risk of developing dementia in later life (60).
The study summarizes the data from studies of high-quality, long term that followed more than 25,000 people to see if weight is a risk factor for dementia.
Professor Anstey, said the review presented evidence that a greater (BMI) body mass index is associated with chronic diseases that increase the risk of dementia.
"We found that, in a mid-life, overweight in fact increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease." This risk is even greater for those who enter in the obese category.
"This evidence suggests that, while the hormones present in body fat previously thought to protect the cognitive function, excess fat in the middle age is in fact extremely prejudicial", he said.
Professor Anstey added that the results have important political implications.
"Practitioners and policy makers should be concerned, not only with short term effects of obesity in the quality of life, but also on the long-term effects that obesity can have on the aging process".
"Without a reduction in the number of middle-aged adults who are overweight and obese, our results show that we can expect to see an increase in dementia over the next few years."
He said "Reducing the impact of obesity in prevalence and incidence of dementia should be a priority for Governments, health care providers and the general public".
(Source: National University of Australia)
