| [February 12, 2012] |
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Overeating May Double the Risk of Memory Loss
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. --(Business Wire)--
A new study from Mayo Clinic supports the idea that "what's good for
your heart is good for your brain." The study, released today, suggests
that eating too much may double the risk for memory loss in people age
70 and older. This research will be presented at the American Academy of
Neurology's 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans April 21 to April 28.
"We observed a dose-response pattern which simply means; the higher the
amount of calories consumed each day, the higher the risk of mild
cognitive impairment," said study author Yonas E. Geda, M.D., MSc, a
neurologist and psychiatrist with Mayo Clinic in Arizona. He noted that
2,143 calories per day may double the risk of memory loss.
While the relationship between cardiovascular problems and overeating
are well known, the study further documents the similarities of
cardiovascular risks and neurological risks such as mild cognitive
impairment, Dr. Geda says. MCI is the stage between normal memory loss
that comes with aging and early Alzheimer's disease.
VIDEO:
Click here for a video of Dr. Geda explaining the study
The study involved 1,233 people in Olmsted County, Minn., ages 70 to 89
and free of dementia. Of those, 163 had MCI. Participants reported the
amount of calories they ate or drank in a food questionnaire and were
divided into three equal groups based on their daily caloric
consumption. One-third consumed 600 to 1,526 calories per day, one-third
1,526 to 2,143 calories and one-third 2,143 to 6,000 calories per day.
The odds of having MCI more than doubled for people in the highest
calorie-consuming group compared with people in the lowest
calorie-consuming group. The results were the same after adjusting for
history of stroke, diabetes, amount of education and other factors that
can affect risk of memory loss. There was no significant difference in
risk for the middle group.
"Cutting calories and eating foods that make up a healthy diet may be a
simpler way to prevent memory loss as we age," Geda says.
The study co-authors include Ronald C. Petersen, M.D., Ph.D., and other
investigators at the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging in Rochester, Minn. The
study was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Robert
Wood Johnson Foundation and the Robert H. and Clarice Smith and Abigail
van Buren Alzheimer's Disease Research Program.
About Mayo Clinic
Mayo Clinic is a non-profit worldwide leader in medical care,
research, and education for people from all walks of life. For more
information, visit www.mayoclinic.org/about/
and www.mayoclinic.org/news.
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