Obesity's link to lower risk of death in dementia points to likely importance of nutrition
People who are overweight or obese when they are diagnosed with dementia are likely to live longer than those in a normal weight range, according to a new study by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and NYU School of Global Public Health. The findings suggest that weight status at the time of a dementia diagnosis may provide meaningful prognostic information about survival and…
People diagnosed with dementia who were overweight or obese at the time had a significantly lower risk of death compared to those with normal weight, according to a new study. The research, conducted by Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and NYU School of Global Public Health, suggests that weight status at the time of diagnosis could provide valuable information about survival among individuals with dementia.
The study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, analyzed data from 4,523 individuals who were dementia-free at the start and later developed the condition. Even after accounting for factors like other health conditions and demographics, overweight individuals had a 16% lower risk of death, while those with class 1 and 2 and 3 obesity had a 27% and 22% lower risk, respectively.
While excess weight is a known risk factor for various illnesses, including heart disease and diabetes, this study challenges the conventional perspective by suggesting that higher body mass index (BMI) may be beneficial for dementia patients. However, researchers emphasize that weight gain should not be a goal for dementia patients, as the study did not aim to explore this possibility.
Instead, the findings highlight the importance of nutrition in the health and survival of individuals with dementia, as they may face challenges such as wasting and difficulty eating due to brain changes. The study's lead author, Virginia Chang, notes that dementia patients often experience weight loss before diagnosis, which could lead to misinterpretations if not properly accounted for in research.
Other potential biases, such as survivorship bias or selection bias, were also examined and found not to significantly impact the association between weight status and mortality. Physiologically, greater energy reserves and muscle mass could explain why excess weight might benefit dementia patients. However, the exact reasons behind the lower mortality risk among overweight and obese individuals with dementia remain unclear.
Despite this, the study underscores the potential value of weight status as a prognostic indicator for dementia patients.
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