In a new study that looked at over 5,000 older Irish adults, it was found that greater amounts of belly fat are associated with cognitive impairment. This is an extremely important finding since the global prevalence of dementia is expected to increase to 81.1 million by the year 2040.
The best way to reduce your risk is to lose weight with the help of a center for medical weight loss. By losing just 10 percent of your body weight and keeping it off, you start to see significant improvements in risk factors for diabetes and heart disease. It stands to reason that your risk of dementia will decrease as well.
Previous studies have been done that found that overweight people performed poorly on memory and visuospatial ability tests compared to those of a normal weight, but the effects on aging adults hadn’t been looked at. In Ireland, only 16 percent of men and 26 percent of women over 50 have a BMI within the normal range, so the distinction is important.
Research showed that a higher waist to hip ratio corresponded with impaired cognition, which may be caused by the increased secretions of inflammatory markers found in belly fat. These secretions have been previously associated with higher risks of cognitive impairment. Working with a medical weight loss clinic can help you reduce belly fat and protect cognitive function.
According to the study’s authors, this is one of the biggest studies pertaining to older adults that reports these findings. Based on the results, reducing exposure to obesogenic risk factors and general obesity could help provide an affordable strategy to prevent cognitive decline. The prevalence of overweight and obese patients in the older adult population combined with the social and economic burden of cognitive dysfunction suggests that a public health strategy is necessary.
The Lamkin Clinic center for medical weight loss can help you reduce your risk of cognitive decline through our accelerated weight-loss program. We know that individual patients need custom weight-loss programs based on lifestyle, age, hormones, exercise habits, sleep patterns, and more. We start with a consultation by a physician who conducts lab work to get a better idea of what will work for you. After that, we suggest steps such as thyroid optimization protocol, hormone treatment, DEXA body composition and metabolic rate testing, coaching from a certified nutritionist or health expert, and a customized exercise and diet program.
If you’re ready to lose that excess body weight, the Lamkin medical weight loss clinic can help. Call us today for a consultation with a weight loss expert who can guide you down the path to better health.