Dementia: Will I Get It?

In the article Dementia: Just What Is It, we haveAnother downer: overweight people generally were
learned about a frightening term, Dementia, and just35 percent more likely to have the brain illness (or
what it is or, rather, how it manifests itself in thecondition).
human condition. I gave 5 examples from myAccording to Rachel A. Whitmer, a research scientist
personal knowledge, including myself.at Kaiser Permanente, a non-profit medical group in
It would appear that "Dementia", in its milder forms,Oakland, CA, "We're having an epidemic of obesity
is nothing more than a mild loss of memory. In itsthat we've never seen before and we know it
more severe, but still mild, forms, it can take thecauses a wide variety of illness. And now we can add
guise of mild disorientation; sometimes so mild thatto the list. We are going to see an unprecedented
one is not even aware of being disoriented. Theincrease in dementia as the baby boomers age."
milder cases were likely referred to in olden times asIt's not known whether people can lower their risk of
"senility". Something none of us ever aspired to.dementia if they lose the excess weight, "but that's
However, there is a new body of informationone of the implications of the study," Whitmer says.
accumulating, and now published, which indicates thatIn addition, two smaller studies also found signs of
"dementia" could be the result of a natural condition,brain atrophy, or shrinkage, among women with a
and which, if true, puts at least half of the Northhigh body mass index (or BMI - a measure of body
American population "at risk"!fat based on a ratio of weight to height). A normal
What is that condition? It is "obesity" and it isBMI is between 18.6 and 24.9.
rampant in North America, affecting at someFinally, a recent Swedish study found a high BMI in
estimates upwards of 60% of the population. And,old age is associated with an increased risk of
according to a recent study published in the Britishdementia in women.
Medical Journal, it is particularly harmful to people inOK, the jury is still out. Is it guaranteed that just
the 40's and up. The study tracked 10,000 men andbeing overweight means I will get dementia? And, is
women over a period of 27 years.this a "disease" or is it a "condition of imbalance".
US scientists found people who were obese andFinally, in either case, can it be corrected and if so,
between the ages of 40 and 45 were 74 per centhow? Will it respond to diet? Will it respond to
more likely to have dementia later in life compared toaromatherapy? Will it respond only to medical (read
those of "normal" weight. And its worse for women:that chemical") intervention? Interesting questions for
women were 200 per cent more likely to havefuture articles on Dementia so stay tuned.
dementia if they were obese in their 40's.