According to a new study conducted by Northwestern Medicine, older, heavier women may have more memory issues and poorer brain function than those who are a healthy weight.
The study was conducted on 8,745 women, ages 65 to 79, and it was found that a higher BMI (Body Mass Index) had a “detrimental effect” on memory and brain function. Even further, the study discovered that women whose excess weight is carried around their hips rather than around their waists experienced even more memory loss and decreased brain function. While there are still more tests to be conducted, researchers believe that this phenomenon may have something to do with the type of fat that accumulates around the hips. Obese women have more cytokines, which are a type of hormone released from the most common kind of fat in the body.
“The fat may contribute to…Alzheimer’s disease or a restricted blood flow to the brain.” - Diana Kerwin, M.D., Northwestern MedicineWhile researchers are still trying to gather more information on this subject, the current findings can help doctors know with whom they need to be the most aggressive about weight.
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