Obesity is fast becoming the new health threat of the century. Many of the people who are obese begin being overweight in early childhood, with all the risks associated with it. But something far more dangerous is on the horizon: obese people are at a heightened risk of dementia, thereby creating the possibility that millions will develop the condition early and in huge numbers.
The fact that obesity poses a higher risk of dementia has just been confirmed in new studies. It is therefore paramount that more attention be given to the problem.
The causes of dementia, and Alzheimer, are still not very well known. There has been some confirmation that the latter might be a product of genetic damage, but the triggers are yet unidentified. However, being obese bears a direct correlation with a heightened risk of dementia, as observed so far.
A Swedish study has shown that people with a BMI of 30% or over, are almost four times more likely to get dementia compared with people with normal BMI percentages. And the problem is getting worse each year.
At this time, for example, the UK registers a whopping 25-30% obesity rate. That is projected to reach 46% in men and 31% in women by the year 2050 which would cause a 30% rise in the cases of dementia.
Source: BBC news 5.12.13
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