Underweight Seniors Have Increased Risk of Alzheimer’s

Although overweight and obesity are damaging to one’s health, being underweight has serious consequences as well. For instance, having a lower weight may increase older adults’ risk of Alzheimer’s disease, according to research published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.
The study was conducted by a team of scientists from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. The research included 280 healthy individuals aged between 62 and 90 with normal cognitive function.
The findings showed that there was a strong link between lower body weight and increased deposits of Alzheimer’s-related beta-amyloid protein in the brain. What’s the connection between Alzheimer’s disease and being underweight?

Scientists explain it’s because lower BMI is a major indicator of frailty, a syndrome including reduced body weight, loss of strength, slower movement associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
These findings also stress the importance of further research on this subject. According to FightDementia.org, more than 353,800 people in Australia have dementia. Furthermore, dementia is the second leading cause of death in Australia and the single greatest cause of disability in older Australians.
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