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Dementia is a growing health risk and threat for many people. Now there’s evidence of a simple way to decrease this risk by dieting.

 

 

Excess weight has been implicated in numerous health problems. It’s often a factor in everything from high blood pressure to diabetes and heart attacks. That’s why one of the best things you can do to improve your overall health is to stay within a healthy weight range. Despite all this information, you probably haven’t thought of this health risk in connection to your cognitive health. But studies are now starting to show that fat distribution may be a factor in cognitive decline and dementia.

 

What is Dementia?

 

Dementia is the name given to a group of symptoms which are linked to a decline in cognitive abilities. These symptoms can affect memory, language, thinking, social abilities, and problem solving. They get progressively worse over time and interfere with everyday activities and general functioning.

 

There are several different causes of dementia including:

 

• Alzheimer’s Disease, which is the most common cause.
• Damage to the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain, known as Vascular dementia.
• Lewy body dementia, which is caused by the collection of clumps of protein in the brain.
• Diseases that cause the degeneration of nerve cells and their connections, known as Frontotemporal dementia.
• A combination of diseases that affect older people, known as mixed dementia.

There are also several other health risk factors linked to dementia such as Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, and brain injuries.

 

It’s estimated that around 9 million people in the US have Dementia. And this number is expected to increase over time. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this problem, though treatment can help slow its effects.

 

Strategies for Dementia Prevention

 

At this stage, the exact causes of dementia aren’t known, which is why research is ongoing. And this research has unearthed an interesting link between cognitive decline and fat distribution.

 

Waist size is a widely used indicator of fat distribution and of the risk of health problems. In the past, belly fat has proven to be a serious health risk factor that can indicate poorer cognitive function. In the past, researchers used BMI to calculate health risk. However, this has fallen out of favor because BMI doesn’t discriminate between muscle and fat. This problem is eliminated when waist size is used to estimate fat distribution.

 

A new study examined 872,082 participants in Asia aged 65 and over. The researchers followed these patients until 2015 or until they developed dementia. The goal was to find the most effective weight measurement for indicating neurological conditions. And the answer was surprising.

 

The researchers found a significantly higher risk of dementia with higher waist measurements. For Asian men, 90 cm (35”) increased the risk. And for women, the high-risk threshold was 85 cm (33”). This connection remained even once the researchers accounted for factors such as income, family history, and high blood pressure, which could confound the results.

 

The Takeaway

 

Medical researchers don’t know why this link exists yet or the role that fat plays in cognitive decline. There’s some speculation that it may have something to do with different types of fat. Taking a waist measurement is a good indication of visceral fat levels. This is the fat that surrounds internal organs. In contrast, BMI also measures subcutaneous fat, which is visible below the skin. Subcutaneous fat may help protect against dementia, so measuring it isn’t helpful in this context. Visceral fat on the other hand is linked with numerous conditions. So, it isn’t a stretch to speculate that it may cause detrimental cognitive effects.

 

Further research is obviously needed. However, what’s clear at this stage is that belly fat is a clear health risk. That’s why it should be part of your regular health measurements.

 

 

If you’re concerned about a health risk, try using HomeLab to keep track of your condition and any preventative measures you take. And if you see signs of a significant problem, you should check with your doctor as soon as possible.

 

 

Tags: health risk, dementia