Weight and dementia has been in the news recently. One study published in Jama Network Open and based at McMaster University in Canada, showed that excess body fat appeared to affect not only cardiovascular risk factors but also cognitive performance. Another, published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association, suggested that although all 16,000 participants (aged 60 or older) showed some degree of mental decline it was 60% faster in those with fluctuating body mass indices (BMIs). It would appear therefore that maintaining a steady weight is protective against cognitive decline.
