A recent medical study has shown that people with obesity and high blood pressure are more likely to develop dementia.
Researchers reached this conclusion after analyzing the health data of the populations of Copenhagen and the United Kingdom. They proved that a high body mass index (BMI) not only accompanies dementia but also directly contributes to its development. To achieve this, they used the Mendelian randomization method, a genetic method that allows for the detection of relationships that cause disease and reduces the impact of associated factors. The data analysis showed that the higher the BMI resulting from genetic factors, the greater the risk of developing dementia in old age.
Researchers also found that a large part of the increased risk of dementia was also linked to high blood pressure problems, and that the combination of obesity and high blood pressure in a person creates conditions for damage to the brain's blood vessels and accelerates the development of cognitive impairment, causing dementia related to blood vessel problems.
Researchers emphasize that controlling body weight and blood pressure in middle age is one of the easiest ways to prevent dementia, long before the first problems with memory and thinking appear.
The results of a medical study presented at the recent annual conference of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) indicated that increasing muscle mass and reducing visceral fat in the body can significantly slow brain aging.
