Obesity linked to lower dementia risk in older adults, but weight loss raises concerns.
Obesity in late life linked to lower dementia risk, but weight loss from midlife to late life increases risk.
Why it matters
- Overweight and obese older adults have a lower risk of dementia compared to those with normal weight.
- Weight loss from midlife to late life is associated with an increased risk of dementia.
By the numbers
- Over 5,000 participants studied.
- Overweight individuals had a 14% lower risk of dementia.
- Obese individuals had a 19% lower risk of dementia.
- Those who lost weight had up to a 2.22 times higher risk of dementia.
The big picture
- The study suggests that unintentional weight loss might be a sign of underlying health issues that increase dementia risk.
- Maintaining a stable weight is associated with the lowest dementia risk.
What they're saying
- Comments highlight the importance of not interpreting higher weight as protective per se.
- Weight loss could be a marker for deteriorating health, not a direct cause of dementia.
Caveats
- The study does not establish causation.
- Weight loss could be unintentional and linked to other health issues.
What’s next
- Further research is needed to understand the relationship between weight change and dementia risk.