Healthy aging means watching your weight
New research underlines that carrying around extra weight can lead to health problems, including a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease. A recent study by Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine demonstrated that obesity at midlife contributes to Alzheimer’s disease later in life.

According to the findings, people who were obese between the ages of 40 and 59 are four times more likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's in their old age than those who were of a healthy weight.

Evidence continues to suggest that changes in health habits such as weight loss help not only the heart but also the brain. “Healthy aging is a process that should begin sooner rather than later in life in order to remain healthy for as long as possible,” said William Thies, Ph.D., Alzheimer’s Association vice president for medical and scientific affairs. “There is increasing evidence that Alzheimer’s disease begins in the brain many years before we see symptoms.”

The Case Western study is important because it pinpoints something people can change— their body weight —to lessen their chances of getting the disease, said Jack Guralnik, an epidemiologist at the National Institutes on Aging. And the study could tell scientists something more.

“It may also help us gain some insight into the whole mechanism whereby Alzheimer’s disease develops," Guralnik said.

In the Case Western study, subjects had a body mass index (BMI, a weight-to-height ratio) of 30 or higher, which is considered obese. BMI is a reliable indicator of total body fat, which is related to the risk of disease and death. Persons who weigh 180 pounds and are 5 feet 5 inches tall or weigh 221 pounds and are 6 feet tall are both rated at 30.0, or obese, on the BMI. (To easily and accurately calculate your BMI, visit www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/bmicalc.htm.) A swing of a couple of pounds can make a difference. For example, if you are 5 feet 2 inches tall and weigh 138 pounds, your BMI says “obese”; take off two pounds, and you’ll drop into the “normal” range.

Dr. Peter DeGolia, medical director for long-term care at MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, said that the research results give him one more persuasive argument for weight loss he can use with his patients.

"Lifestyle changes are incredibly difficult to motivate people to change permanently or significantly,” he said. “It’s like trying to keep a New Year's resolution."