A major 24-year study of more than 8,200 adults suggests that excess body weight may accelerate brain aging — and the effect is strongest in people over 65. The findings, from the University of Georgia, also carry an encouraging twist: managing weight could measurably slow cognitive decline within just two years.
Brain aging study (Credits: ScienceDaily)
Extra Weight May Speed Up Brain Aging, Study Finds
Researchers analyzed a nationally representative study that tracked more than 8,200 adults over age 50 for 24 years. They found a consistent relationship between body mass index and cognitive health: each one-point increase in BMI was associated with a faster rate of decline in memory, overall cognitive performance and executive functioning — the abilities used for concentrating, planning and organizing.
The association was strongest at the eighth year of the study, and adults over 65 showed the most pronounced effects. Possible biological explanations include inflammation, impaired blood circulation and insulin resistance — all linked to excess weight and all capable of affecting brain health.
Weight Management Could Slow Cognitive Decline in Two Years
“We found that if people managed their weight, they could significantly lower their rate of cognitive decline in just two years,” said study lead author Suhang Song, an assistant professor at the University of Georgia’s College of Public Health, calling BMI “one of the most easily modifiable risk factors when it comes to aging well.”
The context is stark: about two in five Americans meet the criteria for obesity by BMI alone, and scientists note BMI doesn’t tell the whole story — adding waist measurements pushes estimates of affected Americans as high as 75%. The study reports an association, not a treatment; anyone concerned about their health should talk to a clinician rather than self-diagnosing.
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Source: ScienceDaily — read the full story there.
