Could A Big Belly Trigger Dementia?

Being overweight is bad for our hearts but it may also be damaging our brains too.

- Natalia Lubomirski

Want to look after your brain as you age? Then you need to look after your waistline, according to a new study. It’s not just about looking good in your favourite jeans – being a healthy weight could also save your life. Having an excessive amount of belly fat can take a serious toll on your health, increasing your risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. And now, a new Irish study has found that being overweight could also heighten your risk of developing

The rising risk

There are currently 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK. And numbers are set to rise to over one million by 2025. Our unhealthy habits, such as smoking, drinking excessively and lack of exercise, can all increase our risk. And now researchers at Trinity College, Dublin have revealed that our expanding waistlines could be to blame too – if your waist measures 35in or more (or 40in or more for men) then you could be harbouring a dangerous amount of abdominal fat.

Scientists, who analysed data on nearly 5,200 Irish adults aged 60+, discovered that our waist-to-hip ratio may have an effect on our brain function. Their results showed the more belly fat an individual had, the more likely they’d have some form of cognitive impairment, such as a deteriorating memory, poor judgement and trouble thinking.