According to a new study in the journal Neurology, being overweight or obese may cause more rapid cognitive decline and possibly lead to dementia. The study from France looked at cognitive function in 2,223 healthy adults at two separate occasions five years apart.
To assess cognitive function each participant was given a battery of standard tests which assessed memory, attention, and learning ability. The same tests were given five years later. The researchers also took measurements of height and weight and determined BMI during each of the testing periods. The change in cognitive function was compared to the change in BMI over the study period.
In general participants with a higher BMI scored lower on the tests after accounting for age, sex, and educational differences. Then after the five year period, the rate of cognitive decline was more in those who had a higher BMI, or those who gained more weight during that period.
The researchers believe that non-diagnosed conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes could effect mental function via damage to blood vessels. But they also discussed the effect of leptin, a hormone made by fat cells, on mental function. Leptin may affect key aspects of learning and memory, which could help explain the effect on cognitive function.
Still the authors state that this study provides another reason for individuals to maintain a healthy weight. Obesity is an epidemic in the US and contributes to a variety of chronic diseases and this new study adds mental decline to the list.
Posted by Dr. Christina Gutierrez on October 30, 2006 01:46 PM
