| In the article Dementia: Just What Is It, we have | | | | Another downer: overweight people generally were |
| learned about a frightening term, Dementia, and just | | | | 35 percent more likely to have the brain illness (or |
| what it is or, rather, how it manifests itself in the | | | | condition). |
| human condition. I gave 5 examples from my | | | | According 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 its | | | | that we've never seen before and we know it |
| more severe, but still mild, forms, it can take the | | | | causes a wide variety of illness. And now we can add |
| guise of mild disorientation; sometimes so mild that | | | | to the list. We are going to see an unprecedented |
| one is not even aware of being disoriented. The | | | | increase in dementia as the baby boomers age." |
| milder cases were likely referred to in olden times as | | | | It'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 information | | | | one of the implications of the study," Whitmer says. |
| accumulating, and now published, which indicates that | | | | In 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 North | | | | high 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 is | | | | BMI is between 18.6 and 24.9. |
| rampant in North America, affecting at some | | | | Finally, 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 British | | | | dementia in women. |
| Medical Journal, it is particularly harmful to people in | | | | OK, the jury is still out. Is it guaranteed that just |
| the 40's and up. The study tracked 10,000 men and | | | | being 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 and | | | | Finally, in either case, can it be corrected and if so, |
| between the ages of 40 and 45 were 74 per cent | | | | how? Will it respond to diet? Will it respond to |
| more likely to have dementia later in life compared to | | | | aromatherapy? 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 have | | | | future articles on Dementia so stay tuned. |
| dementia if they were obese in their 40's. | | | | |