Originally published July 21 2005
Research shows dementia could be caused by obesity
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Obesity could be linked to dementia, RedNova News reports, as a U.S. survey shows that overweight and obese people are more likely to develop diseases from dementia such as Alzheimer's, and obese women have an especially high risk.
Research from the US shows that being obese in middle age dramatically increases the risk of dementia in later life.
A survey published in the British Medical Journal was based on 27- year health records of 10,276 people aged 40 to 45 who are members of a US medical care programme.
Measurements based on body mass suggest that obese people with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of at least 30 have a 74 per cent increased risk of developing degenerative brain diseases including Alzheimer's later in life.
According to Doctor Rachel Whitmer, who led the study, women who were obese or overweight were most at risk.
The doctors who carried out the research believe that the same cardiovascular problems that raise the chances of heart disease also put a strain on the blood vessels that supply the brain.
The researchers also considered the idea that heart disease and diabetes are more common in the obese and overweight, but even when compensated for, the correlation between obesity and dementia remained.
Not only is the ever-expanding British waistline setting us up for a massive increase in circulatory disease and diabetes, but we now have evidence of potential impact on brain function.
The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists is asking service providers to improve on the 'patchy' service they provide to the 750,000 people with dementia across the UK.
Mary Heritage, RCSLT advisor and panel chair said: 'While in some places there are centres of excellence where SLTs are an integral part of a specialist team, in many others therapists are struggling to accommodate the needs of people with dementia on general adult case- loads without the support of specialist colleagues.'
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