General Discussion

4now

(1,596 posts) Fri Apr 10, 2015, 07:14 PM Apr 2015

Being overweight reduces dementia risk

The team at Oxon Epidemiology and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine analysed medical records from 1,958,191 people aged 55, on average, for up to two decades.

Their most conservative analysis showed underweight people had a 39% greater risk of dementia compared with being a healthy weight.

But those who were overweight had an 18% reduction in dementia - and the figure was 24% for the obese.

"Yes, it is a surprise," said lead researcher Dr Nawab Qizilbash.

He told the BBC News website: "The controversial side is the observation that overweight and obese people have a lower risk of dementia than people with a normal, healthy body mass index.

"That's contrary to most if not all studies that have been done, but if you collect them all together our study overwhelms them in terms of size and precision."

More at link.
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-32233571

I never would have guessed

21 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Being overweight reduces dementia risk (Original Post) 4now Apr 2015 OP

Won't have to worry about dementia if we die of heart disease and diabetes complications first LittleBlue Apr 2015 #1

I was about to say woohoo, but you pierced my bubble. Erich Bloodaxe BSN Apr 2015 #3

Egg-zackly! kath Apr 2015 #10

Exactly what I was thinking Hekate Apr 2015 #13

Precisely n/t malaise Apr 2015 #20

It makes sense to me as overweight people continue to yeoman6987 Apr 2015 #2

At 66 and 25 lbs. overweight, this is good news for once. LOL OregonBlue Apr 2015 #4

Well, now maybe I can stop worrying when I can't remember names The Velveteen Ocelot Apr 2015 #5

Something tells me we're seeing a non-causal connection to some other variable here. Marr Apr 2015 #6

Not if being overweight causes one to have type 2 diabetes Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Apr 2015 #7

You have it ass backwards eridani Apr 2015 #12

No I don't Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Apr 2015 #15

There is no evidence whatsoever that losing weight helps. What does help eridani Apr 2015 #17

You have to be the only person I've known to make that claim. Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin Apr 2015 #19

There are two possible explanatory models--ask your doctor where the evidence is in eridani Apr 2015 #21

Some forms of dementia and gene based Omaha Steve Apr 2015 #8

One other thing and this might be connected somehow Kalidurga Apr 2015 #9

Dueling studies progree Apr 2015 #11

Maybe because they spend more time on mental activities JI7 Apr 2015 #14

Then explain Rush lame54 Apr 2015 #16

Your brain likes fat, it is mostly fat. bemildred Apr 2015 #18

LittleBlue

(10,362 posts)

1. Won't have to worry about dementia if we die of heart disease and diabetes complications first

Reply to 4now (Original post)

Fri Apr 10, 2015, 07:18 PM

Apr 2015

Erich Bloodaxe BSN

(14,733 posts)

3. I was about to say woohoo, but you pierced my bubble.

Reply to LittleBlue (Reply #1)

Fri Apr 10, 2015, 07:31 PM

Apr 2015

Just had my first gout attack a couple of months back, and the one silver lining there was that people with gout are at reduced risk of Alzheimers.

kath

(10,565 posts)

10. Egg-zackly!

Reply to LittleBlue (Reply #1)

Sat Apr 11, 2015, 01:15 AM

Apr 2015

Hekate

(90,828 posts)

13. Exactly what I was thinking

Reply to LittleBlue (Reply #1)

Sat Apr 11, 2015, 05:03 AM

Apr 2015

Moderation in all things, then.

malaise

(269,182 posts)

20. Precisely n/t

Reply to LittleBlue (Reply #1)

Sun Apr 12, 2015, 08:38 PM

Apr 2015

yeoman6987

(14,449 posts)

2. It makes sense to me as overweight people continue to

Reply to 4now (Original post)

Fri Apr 10, 2015, 07:20 PM

Apr 2015

Nourish the brain with food. I could stand to lose a few but this story is wonderful actually. Skinny people at times don't norish the body enough with the right amount of food. Not every single one.

Of course overweight people have other issues to watch out for.

OregonBlue

(7,754 posts)

4. At 66 and 25 lbs. overweight, this is good news for once. LOL

Reply to 4now (Original post)

Fri Apr 10, 2015, 07:56 PM

Apr 2015

The Velveteen Ocelot

(115,867 posts)

5. Well, now maybe I can stop worrying when I can't remember names

Reply to 4now (Original post)

Fri Apr 10, 2015, 07:58 PM

Apr 2015

or where I left my car keys. Something's gonna get us all eventually - but I'd rather it was quick.

Marr

(20,317 posts)

6. Something tells me we're seeing a non-causal connection to some other variable here.

Reply to 4now (Original post)

Fri Apr 10, 2015, 08:10 PM

Apr 2015

Are they defining eating disorders as dementia? Do people suffering from dementia tend to under eat because of their dementia?

Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

(108,221 posts)

7. Not if being overweight causes one to have type 2 diabetes

Reply to 4now (Original post)

Fri Apr 10, 2015, 08:24 PM

Apr 2015

eridani

(51,907 posts)

12. You have it ass backwards

Reply to Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin (Reply #7)

Sat Apr 11, 2015, 04:15 AM

Apr 2015

Being genetically insulin resistant causes both type II diabetes and weight gain in adulthood.

Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

(108,221 posts)

15. No I don't

Reply to eridani (Reply #12)

Sat Apr 11, 2015, 06:38 AM

Apr 2015

I was 270 pounds with type 2. After dropping 90 pounds my A1CH levels dropped to normal.

eridani

(51,907 posts)

17. There is no evidence whatsoever that losing weight helps. What does help

Reply to Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin (Reply #15)

Sun Apr 12, 2015, 02:20 AM

Apr 2015

--is reduction of caloric intake. Even when this does not result in any weight loss at all, blood sugar improves. There is zero correlation of amount of weight lost and sugar control improvement.

If you have a frayed macrame plant hanger that you only use with plastic flower pots, the hanger will not break. This does not mean that you have fixed the hanger--only that you have successfully avoided stressing a weak system.

Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

(108,221 posts)

19. You have to be the only person I've known to make that claim.

Reply to eridani (Reply #17)

Sun Apr 12, 2015, 08:37 PM

Apr 2015

I think I'll trust my doctor and my own experience more.

eridani

(51,907 posts)

21. There are two possible explanatory models--ask your doctor where the evidence is in

Reply to Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin (Reply #19)

Sun Apr 12, 2015, 09:34 PM

Apr 2015

--support of one over the other.

Calorie reduction ---> weight loss---> improved sugar control

or

Calorie reduction ---> improved sugar control
and also Calorie reduction ---> weight loss

You say that the first explanation is correct. On what grounds do you or your doctor dismiss the second?

Omaha Steve

(99,733 posts)

8. Some forms of dementia and gene based

Reply to 4now (Original post)

Fri Apr 10, 2015, 08:40 PM

Apr 2015

I'm not putting a lot of weight behind this yet.

Kalidurga

(14,177 posts)

9. One other thing and this might be connected somehow

Reply to 4now (Original post)

Fri Apr 10, 2015, 09:50 PM

Apr 2015

People over 50 who are overweight (slightly) do better when they get sick. I think it's because they can afford to lose a few pounds and people who are at or below their "ideal" weight are more at risk of becoming underweight or severely unweight.

progree

(10,919 posts)

11. Dueling studies

Reply to 4now (Original post)

Sat Apr 11, 2015, 03:14 AM

Apr 2015

http://blogs.mprnews.org/newscut/2015/04/when-its-good-to-be-fat/

(excerpts)

...Underweight people had a 34 percent higher risk of developing dementia than those of a normal weight, the study found, while the very obese had a 29 percent lower risk of becoming forgetful and confused and showing other signs of senility.

...The most recent study, published in Lancet, appears to contradict one conducted as recently as 2008. In that one, obese people in their 40s “were much more likely to get Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia in their 70s,” the Post said.

The lead researcher noted, however, that if you’re obese, you’ll probably die before the time when you’re most likely to exhibit dementia.

JI7

(89,274 posts)

14. Maybe because they spend more time on mental activities

Reply to 4now (Original post)

Sat Apr 11, 2015, 05:11 AM

Apr 2015

And less on physical . Things that can take a lot of time and involve a lot of thought. But not much movement

lame54

(35,325 posts)

16. Then explain Rush

Reply to 4now (Original post)

Sat Apr 11, 2015, 08:33 AM

Apr 2015

bemildred

(90,061 posts)

18. Your brain likes fat, it is mostly fat.

Reply to 4now (Original post)

Sun Apr 12, 2015, 08:54 AM

Apr 2015

If one must be skinny, one must have a high fat diet. I like dairy myself, but that won't work for everybody.

And your nerves elsewhere in your body like fat too.

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