Healthy Weight Before 40: Alzheimer's Prevention

Carrying excess weight, especially around the middle, is known to increase the risk of various health issues, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, and dementia. Now, new research suggests that being overweight may also cause certain brain areas to shrink.

A study published in the journal Neurology, involving over 1,200 participants, found that individuals with larger waistlines and a high body mass index (BMI) in their 60s exhibited greater signs of brain aging six years later. Specifically, those with larger waists and higher BMIs were more likely to have thinning in the cortex area of the brain, even after accounting for factors such as high blood pressure, alcohol use, and smoking. According to the study authors, this finding implies that being overweight is linked to reduced gray matter.

Gray matter, which contains the cell bodies of brain cells, plays a crucial role in cognition, emotional health, personality, sensation, and movement. Loss of gray matter may be associated with an increased risk for stroke, headaches, and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.

According to study author Tatjana Rundek, M.D., Ph.D., being overweight or obese may accelerate brain aging by a decade. This information underscores the importance of prioritizing health in midlife to decrease the risk of cognitive problems later in life.

Researchers believe that losing weight could potentially prevent brain aging and the associated memory and thinking issues.

Instead of focusing solely on the scale, it's more effective to adopt healthy habits and foods known to promote brain health. These include regular exercise (yoga has been linked to increased gray matter), increasing omega-3 intake from fatty fish like salmon, consuming plenty of fiber and nutrients from colorful produce, limiting sugar and refined carbohydrates, and prioritizing sleep.

To learn more about maintaining brain health, discover the daily dietary habits of renowned neurologist Dr. David Perlmutter.