Meanwhile, other studies have discovered a link between obesity and developing Alzheimer’s disease at an earlier age. “It is possible that being overweight may raise the risk of developing disorders related to neurodegeneration such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia,” Ronan said, emphasizing this study didn’t investigate, nor did it find such a correlation.
However, overweight and obese individuals have been shown to have an increased risk for diabetes, cancer and heart disease, but evidence showing a correlation between weight and brain aging is minimal.
The most important and immediate takeaway? There may be a connection between weight and brain degeneration, that could potentially have a scary outcome for brain health, especially as obesity rates continue to rise.
“We’re living in an aging population, with increasing levels of obesity, so it’s essential that we establish how these two factors might interact, since the consequences for health are potentially serious,” Fletcher said.
Of course, the easiest way to decrease your chances of premature brain aging (per this study) is to live a healthy lifestyle, including a clean diet, exercise and a yearly physical (at minimum).