Big belly in middle age triples risk of dementia

0 Comments | AFP, March, 2008

CHICAGO (AFP) — Having a large belly in middle age nearly triples the risk of developing dementia, a study released Wednesday found.

"Considering that 50 percent of adults in this country have abdominal obesity, this is a disturbing finding," said study author Rachel Whitmer of the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, California.

Being overweight in midlife and beyond has long been linked to increased risk for disease such as stroke, diabetes and heart disease.

This is the first study to link excess fat to dementia and, interestingly, excess abdominal fat increased the risk even among those who were of normal weight overall.

Researchers measured the abdominal fat of 6,583 people age 40 to 45 in northern California and some 36 years...