Being overweight lowers the risk of developing dementia , which was confirmed by a study of two million patients. Scientists were extremely surprised by the results, which run counter to all advice on a healthy lifestyle: now, to prevent acquired dementia, doctors advise not to smoke, exercise and follow a balanced diet. An analysis of two million Britons showed that underweight people are more likely to suffer from dementia, writes the medical journal The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology .
Doctors predict that the number of patients with dementia will triple by 2050, with a total of 115.4 million, according to WHO. More than $ 604 billion is spent annually on caring for people with dementia and trying to treat them. They cannot completely cure a person with this diagnosis, so they have to try to reduce the risk of developing the disease by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. A team of scientists analyzed the medical records of 1,958,191 patients over the past twenty years. The age of the patients is from 45 to 66 years, with an average of 55 years. Acquired dementia was found in 45,507 people. Compared to people who are in the healthy range, people who are underweight have a 34% higher risk of developing dementia. But in people whose weight is above normal, the risk of developing this disease is reduced. With a body mass index of 40 and above (with obesity), dementia occurs 29% less often. “Yes, this is a surprise,” says the head of the research team, Dr. Navam Qizilbash. In an interview with the BBC, he noted that this study was conducted with the highest accuracy and largest sample, when compared with any other study of this problem. There is no exact explanation for the results. There is an assumption that the development of dementia is influenced by the lack of vitamins D and E, which are found in food. The more a person eats, the more of these vitamins he receives. But doctors advise against eating too much booze and sweets: even if being overweight helps with dementia, it does not allow you to live long enough to enjoy the benefits. Because we must remember about cardiovascular diseases, stroke, diabetes and oncology, which are associated with excess weight.