A Group of People at Highest Risk of Dementia Identified 0 13

People with obesity and high blood pressure have a higher risk of developing dementia. This conclusion was reached by researchers who analyzed data from residents of Copenhagen and the United Kingdom. The results of the study were published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

The scientists demonstrated that a high body mass index (BMI) not only accompanies dementia but also directly contributes to its development. To do this, they used the method of Mendelian randomization — a genetic approach that allows for the identification of causal relationships and reduces the influence of confounding factors. The analysis showed that the higher the genetically determined BMI, the greater the risk of dementia in old age.

At the same time, a significant portion of this risk was associated with elevated blood pressure. According to the authors, it is the combination of obesity and hypertension that creates conditions for damage to the brain's blood vessels and accelerates the development of cognitive impairments, particularly vascular dementia.

The researchers emphasize that these factors can and should be corrected. Controlling body weight and blood pressure in middle age may become one of the most accessible ways to prevent dementia — long before the first problems with memory and thinking appear.