Obesity may increase risk of dementia

The increase in waistlines could fuel a big rise in the number of people with dementia in the future, researchers have warned.

According to data presented at the European Congress on Obesity, stemming the rise in obesity will cut down the risk of dementia, the BBC reported.

The Alzheimer’s Society charity has suggested that regular exercise and a healthy weight are important for reducing the risk.

One study conducted on 8,500 Swedish twins showed that people with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30- who are classified as obese- were almost four times as likely to develop dementia as those with a normal BMI.

It was claimed that even those people who were clinically overweight with a BMI between 25 and 30, were 71 % more likely to develop dementia.