Fun and Fitness for the 40-Something

Yet another reason to watch our weight: Researchers have found that people who are overweight or obese in mid-life have a greater risk of reduced memory and thinking skills in late life.

Specifically, individuals with higher mid-life Body Mass Index (BMI) in the 1960s
have lower memory and thinking skills and a sharper decline in these abilities in old age than those with lower mid-life BMI. Something to think about …

“The adverse effects of being overweight and obese are not limited to cardiac function but also extend to brain function,” one researcher says. Several studies, including studies from the Swedish Twin Registry, have shown that people who are overweight or obese in mid-life are at an increased risk of suffering from dementia.

The latest findings indicate that being overweight or obese in mid-life also negatively affects memory and thinking skills, independent of dementia. And, according to the new study, the skills decline more rapidly in old age among those who were overweight or obese in mid-life. The steeper decline in memory and thinking skills could not be explained in the study by an increased prevalence of cardiovascular diseases.

Participants in the study completed baseline surveys in 1963 or 1973 (the average age was 41.6 years, ranging 25–63). The surveys included questions about height, weight, diseases and lifestyle factors. Beginning in 1986, the participants were assessed via neuropsychological tests every three years until 2002. During the study period, 781 individuals who were 50 years and older (60% women) had at least one complete neuropsychological assessment.

Participants—both male and female—with higher mid-life BMI scores had significantly lower general cognitive ability and significantly steeper longitudinal decline than their thinner counterparts. The correlation remained even after particpants who developed dementia during the study period were excluded from the analysis.

For those keeping score at home, that makes mid-life weight issues a risk factor for cardiovascular problems, dementia and declining memory and thinking abilities.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 23rd, 2009 at 5:22 am and is filed under Health and Wellness. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.