As if we needed any more reason to maintain a healthy lifestyle, a new report claims that being obese can actually lead to dementia. Throughout a course of ten years, scientists at the French medical research institution INSERM tested the cognitive functions and bodily conditions of 6,401 adults around 50 years old.
They found that those who were obese had a faster decline on cognitive tests given to them over the course of a decade. That's some scary stuff! Who would've thought that being gordita could affect your mind? I guess there is some truth to it because I notice how much more sluggish and forgetful I am when I eat junk food for a prolonged period of time.
It's understood that eating unhealthy and being heavy is bad you, but other factors also come into play besides weight. According to the study, metabolic abnormalities depended upon high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high triglycerides. The results showed that 60% of the participants who were obese ALSO had metabolic abnormalities.
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The one thing scientists didn't look at was how genetics affected the link between obesity and cognitive issues. However, they have noticed that obese people WITHOUT those metabolic abnormalities had no significant decline in their cognitive tests.
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It's a disturbing thought that our brains can be ruined all because of what's going on around our waistline, but it can also be easily prevented. By doing our best to eat well and exercise daily, hopefully most of us can avoid a dementia scare. So next time you're about to go overboard on your favorite fatty foods, think twice about what it could potentially be doing to you in the longrun.
Do you try to maintain a healthy lifestyle? Tell us in the comment box below!
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